Upper castes humiliate SCs

Dalits had lunch at temple festivities in Bobbili constituency

• Residents of SC colony in Tarapuram village were facing social boycott for last two months
• Dalit youth who sought a joint lunch with upper castes at a temple festival are denied jobs, tractors and NREGS
• A colony resident Bonu Chinnayya seeks govt intervention to restore their pride and livelihood

Vizianagaram: An entire SC colony in Tarapuram village of Parvathipuram division in Bobbili constituency has been subjected to social boycott since two months after some Dalits had lunch organised on Sriramanavami, following a call by local temple committee to partake in festivities. The Dalit committee gave a call for boycott in view of the upper castes holding a sway on temple affairs, with members going round every house advising inmates to skip the lunch.

At the instance of the temple committee to partake in the festivities, no family prepared food for the day. The Dalits found two tents at the temple one put up in clean conditions and the other near a slushy area, where the upper castes wanted the Dalits to have food. Shocked, they insisted on being served food in the same tent along with upper castes.

However, upper castes abused Dalits mentioning their caste and bluntly told them to have lunch in the tent set apart for them or leave. Left with no alternative, they returned home. Some Dalit youth informed ASP Siddharth Koushik, who visited the village. A case of caste discrimination against 11 persons was registered. The 11 persons were sent to judicial remand and returned home recently.

This angered the upper castes who subjected SCs to social boycott. They asked their SC labourers not to work in fields and barred auto drivers into the village. They sacked two farm labourers and warned two youths not to supply milk. They forced a youth working in a shop at Ramabhadrapuram to quit and a cable operator to suspend service. They sent home some women workers and ordered Dalit groups should not be part of MGNREGS.

The affected Dalits visited neighbouring Ponnur village for work but they were denied any work, and now the families are starving. They allege two tumblers practice was being implemented in a local hotel and tiffins were being provided in banana leaves to SCs, while upper castes were given plates. They were being denied water from one of the two taps and provisions from local ration shop.

A colony resident Bonu Chinnayya told The Hans India that 80 families had not prepared food following the temple committee’s invitation for lunch. ‘Dalit youth proposed joint lunch but upper caste people thumbed it down and even began to abuse youngsters. The youth complained to ASP and caste discrimination cases were registered against 11 persons. When they were remanded, the upper castes resorted to social boycott. The government should come to our rescue’.

Another resident Ramana alleged that upper castes were doing it with vengeance. “Even tractors are being denied to us. With scant rains, our fields are drying up. At least now the government should extend a helping hand.” The SCs were dejected since no official turned up to question the boycott for two months. They point out that under the provisions of the SC, ST Atrocities Prevention Act if Dalits are subjected to social boycott for 30 days the government should extend all help to them through local Magistrate or tahsildar.

However, when contacted, Appa Rao, Ramabhadrapuram tahsildar informed The Hans India that he didn’t have any information on such a boycott. ‘If it is true, steps would be taken to hold an inquiry by VRO. We will try to bring about a compromise after holding a meeting between warring communities. We will extend all cooperation to Dalits.’

By P Nagaraju