Listing out the cases of atrocities on Dalits in which little progress was made in bringing the culprits to justice and rehabilitating the victims, leaders of Karnataka Rajya Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (KRDSS) have alleged that the Kalaburagi district administration, with district in-charge Minister Sharan Prakash Patil on the top, was totally insensitive to Dalits.
Addressing media representatives at Patrika Bhavan here on Wednesday, KRDSS State Organising Secretary Arjun Bhadre and State Convenor Malleshi Sajjan alleged that no officers had visited the Dalit victims in the majority of the cases.
“Atrocities on Dalits are rampant in the district. Between 2015 and 2017, 9 Dalits were killed by upper caste men. Authorities and police attempted to either cover up the incidents or to weaken the cases. In many cases, the laws of the land were violated by denial ofcompensation to the victims. Despite repeated agitations, memorandum submissions and other forms of resistance, the district administration and police continue to show their apathy towards Dalits,” Mr. Bhadre said.
He also alleged that the administration took no action in the cases where the government lands that had legally been allocated to Dalits under various schemes were illegally confiscated by government agencies for the construction of public buildings.
Terming Mr. Sharan Prakash Patil as a man with an anti-Dalit mindset, Mr. Bhadre alleged that the Minister insulted Dalit officers in public and punished them with transfers and suspensions for little or minor faults.
Agitation
Mr. Sajjan said that a symbolic agitation would be held outside the residence of Mr. Patil next Wednesday to “remind” the Minister of his responsibilities in safeguarding the interests of Dalits. The organisation would extend the demonstration to the residence of Kalaburagi Lok Sabha member M. Mallikarjun Kharge if the issues continued to remain unaddressed.
Dalit leaders Mahanthesh Badadal, Suryakanth Azadpur, Kapil Singe and others were present.
