CPI (M) State secretary B. V. Raghavulu escorted Dalits into the temple at Hanavole near Adoni in Kurnool district on Monday as part of the campaign against untouchability.
Mr. Raghavulu accompanied by a handful of Dalit families entered the temples of Anjaneya Swamy and Laxminarasimha Swamy and offered prayers.
Tension prevailed in the village as the CPI(M) leaders attempted to do some thing radical for the first time. Earlier, he advocated local barber Mahanandiah to shave the beard of Dalits.
He volunteered but the family members of the barber tried to oppose it on the ground that they might invite the wrath of other villagers and may lose livelihood.
Mr. Raghavulu himself cut the hair symbolically to infuse confidence in Mahananadiah who did the rest of the job. Later, the CPI(M) leaders moved into Dalit locality and had lunch with the families.
Campaign
The CPI (M) leaders chose Hanavole as their place of campaign as several forms of untouchability were still prevalent in the village.
Dalits were denied entry to temples and were served food in the separate plates and glasses in the local roadside hotels.
Deputy SP and other senior officers were in the village when the CPI (M) leaders were around. They said they were for implementing the law and protecting the Dalits rights.
Meanwhile, addressing the gathering, Mr. Raghavulu said caste system was bane of Indian society and India could not progress without giving equal rights to all. He said a country developed only when people developed. India was the only country which discriminated people in the name of caste.
He said caste system was only a hypocrisy which prevailed only in villages. He wanted to know whether any patient asked for the caste of the blood donor or a customer asked for the caste of the cook in a star hotel before eating the food there.
CPI (M) district secretary T. Shadrak, Kula Vivaksha Vyathireka Porata Samithi leader Anandbabu and others were present.
(Courtesy : The Hindu)
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