Dalit bodies demand arrest of perpetrators
Leaders of various Dalit organisations demanded that the government should arrest the upper caste people, who imposed a social boycott on Dalits in Gonugunta village in Chimakurti mandal. They staged a protest in front of Collectorate on Monday along with Dalits from the village and submitted a memorandum to the collector.
On April 21, upper caste people of Gonugunta village set up border stones between village and Dalit colony. When Dalits asked to set up the stones including their colony, the villagers boycotted them. Only to lift it after SP and SC commission member toured the village
Ongole: Leaders of various Dalit organisations demanded that the government should arrest the upper caste people, who imposed a social boycott on Dalits in Gonugunta village in Chimakurti mandal. They staged a protest in front of Collectorate on Monday along with Dalits from the village and submitted a memorandum to the collector.
According to the Dalits in the village, there are 100 families of SCs on the north side and 70 families on the south side of the village. For the welfare and prosperity of the village, the villagers decided to install ‘Boddurayi’ and border stones called ‘Gavidirayi’ around the village.
The villagers believe that if outsiders enter the village during the night of Boddurayi installation, the pooja will be a waste of time and money. During installation of Gavidirayi, the villagers installed it between the village and SC colony. When the Dalits asked to install it outside of the SC colony, including them in the village, the upper caste people objected it and erected a fence barring the entrance to Dalits. When the Dalits tried to remove the fence the villagers threatened to attack them.
K Krishna, general secretary of the Kulanirmulana Porata Samiti said, “When the news of boycotting Dalits spreads out, the villagers removed the fence and tried to act as if nothing happened. They said the SP and the SC commission member who visited the village said that there are no issues between the Dalits and the upper castes now. The officials, though recorded the both versions, said to the media that the village is peaceful and there will be no instances of boycott.”
“We are demand the officials to take action on people, who boycotted Dalits on April 21. We demand the arrest of those upper caste people who threatened us that there will be a repeat of Tsunduru and Karemchedu instances. We want the government to take severe action on those people and see these instances will never happen again in future,” he stated.
The Dalit leaders said that they would intensify the agitation, if the government fails to arrest people, who boycott of Dalits in the village.
