Kolar has been seeing a silent but effective people’s movement. As one of the districts in Karnataka that has the largest Dalit population, Kolar has been campaigning against the scourge of untouchability.
G. Shivappa, a lecturer with Government College for Women in Kolar, kicked off the campaign with the ‘Dalitara Grihaprivesha’ movement, a programme to welcome Dalits into ‘upper’ caste households, beginning with his home in Mulbagal.
The committee set up to take forward this cause later focussed on entry of Dalits into temples. The district administration took the initiative to display banners at all the Muzrai Department temples declaring entry for all.
A special campaign under the slogan ‘Namma nade asprishyatemukta Bharatadede’ (Our walk towards an untouchability-free India) began. The campaign also prompted the then Deputy Commissioner D.K. Ravi to visit Dalit households and have a meal with them.
“Though we can’t claim that untouchability has been eradicated in totality, the campaign has certainly created an impact,” said Mr. Shivappa.
