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A large number of men, women and children from across the country participated in a `Dalit Dignity March' in New Delhi on 5 December 2006, seeking social and political reforms for their emancipation. Issues such as the Dalit killings in Khairlanji and the desecration of a statue of BR Ambedkar in Kanpur were raised during the rally, held to observe the World Dignity Day. The participants raised slogans against the Governments of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh for their ‘failure’ to book the culprits in these incidents. Political leaders, cutting across party lines, extended their support to the Dalits. Addressing the rally, Communist Party of India (CPI) national secretary D Raja said, "Dalits and adivasis are the most oppressed sections of society. Khairlanji is not an isolated incident. Atrocities against Dalits are on the rise and have become more brutal than before." Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijay Singh expressed his solidarity with the Dalits. "Governments need to clear the backlog of vacancies in the category of reserved jobs. They must also take affirmative action to give Dalits economic independence." Exhorting Dalits to exercise their franchise cautiously, Janata Dal - United president Sharad Yadav said, "In a democracy, your vote is key to your development. You must know about your rights and choose your leaders carefully. You must elect only those representatives who will take up issues that affect you and work to resolve them." The Dalits demanded the setting up of a commission to enquire into their socio-economic status, implementation of a time-bound programme for land distribution, and measures to ensure health, education and employment to all. 
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