Untouchability has raised its ugly head yet again in Karnataka.
This time, Dalits are being denied a haircut in the Manchanabale village of Chickballapur district, 60 km from Bengaluru. The village is barely 2 km from the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The irony is that the inhuman practice continues even as the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jnanadarshan Abhiyan is being observed this year to mark the 125th birth anniversary of the architect of the Constitution.
Manchanabale has about 150 Dalit households accounting for nearly 40% of the total houses in the village. The Dalits, about 500 in number, have been visiting the district headquarters for a haircut.
The village has three salons but all of them have been closed for nearly a year after the denial to offer haircuts to Dalits snowballed into a controversy. According to Dalits, the barbers visit the houses of only the “upper” caste.
Role of vested interests
Progressive organisations, including the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, have accused the district administration and the authorities concerned of failure to initiate appropriate action.
“The negligence and failure on the part of the district administration, including the Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police and the Social Welfare Officer, has resulted in perpetuating untouchability that is against the Constitution,” says DSS leader K.C. Rajakanth, also a zilla panchayat member.
“Our frequent pleas to resolve the issue have fallen on deaf ears,” Mr. Rajakanth told The Hindu .
Some political forces are not interested in solving the issue. They want to keep the row alive to take political mileage although barbers are ready to serve the Dalits, he alleged.
“The Savitha Samaj leaders said they are ready to provide a haircut to the Dalits. But they are afraid of some forces, which are preventing them from doing so,” Mr. Rajakanth said.
