CPIM to lauch struggle for ostracized Dalits in Mysore

As many as 500 Dalit families belonging to Saligrama village in K.R. Nagar taluk have been in dire straits following social ostracism by members of an “upper caste” community for the last two weeks.

K.R. Nagar taluk is primarily an agricultural region and Saligrama has a population of nearly 10,000 people. Of them, 2,000, comprising about 500 families, belong to the Holaya community. 

What set it off

The immediate cause for the social boycott of the Holayas was a petty incident. Some cattle belonging to the “upper caste” community was found grazing on the land belonging to one Govindaraju, a Dalit. Govindaraju took objection to the cattle being on his land as he was entirely dependent on the land for his livelihood.

Govindaraju had an altercation with members of the “upper caste” community on the matter, which led to him being assaulted. Govindaraju immediately filed a police complaint seeking protection. The “upper caste” members feeling that he had “exceeded his limits” by daring to file a police complaint, decided to boycott the Dalits from September 26.

The incident came into the public domain after a fact-finding committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), led by State secretariat member Maruti Manpade, visited Saligrama on Monday and shared their findings with the media.

The team visited the village and discovered that all Dalits had been dismissed from their jobs while those who employ their women folk as housemaids were asked to pay Rs. 2,000 for not abiding by the diktat of the “upper caste”. “What is worse is that those who brought this ‘violation' to the notice of the ‘leaders' were rewarded with Rs. 500, according to Varalakshmi, (CITU State Secretay) who was part of the CPI(M) team. The CPI(M) members said the Dalits in Saligrama were being denied work in farms while those who were working as lorry drivers, auto drivers and electricians had lost their jobs.

No action

He said the police had failed to take action against the guilty. “We tried to contact the officials but they said they were unable to attend to the complaint immediately because of Dasara. They have not bothered to visit the village,” he added. The CPI(M) has threatened to launch a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office if the authorities fail to address the problem before Dasara.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Creatures of darkness of the seventies have changed their colour to take the field : Biman Basu

 

CPI(M) West Bengal state Secretary Biman Basu has alleged that the creatures of darkness from the seventies have changed their colour and appearance to again bring anarchy in West Bengal. They are not only murdering and threatening left activists, but also vitiating educational institutions. To save West Bengal, students and youth would have to build up along with the people strong protest movements against these evil forces. Biman Basu gave this call at a huge students rally in Farakka on 1st. October. The rally was held at the beginning of SFI West Bengal state 33rd conference.

Addressing the masses, founder general secretary of SFI said, since parliamentary election 295 left front specially CPI(M) leaders and workers have been murdered in the state. Among them, 193 have been murdered in three districts. During this period, 33 teachers and non-teaching employees have been murdered. Twelve students are murdered. Biman Basu said, in the seventies people had to go out of their homes with their lives at risk. During that period, 1200 lives of left activists were snatched away by the anti-socials of Congress and Naxals called Congshals. They can bury alive after raping an innocent woman like Chhobi Mahato and in the same manner also try to burn to death the principal of Heramba Chandra College by sprinkling petrol on his body. In the like manner the Congshal anti-socials in the seventies also burnt to death the teacher Bimal Dashgupta at Durgapur.