Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, May 6: A family belonging to Dalit community residing at Bolladka in Kombaru village in the taluk has accused some Dalit leaders claiming to be working for the interests of Dalits, of gatecrashing into their home and committing atrocity on family members with sharp weapons. The family pointed out that these leaders have been projecting themselves to be the saviours of SC/ST classes by raising topics concerning their grievances in police and revenue department meetings. They said that these leaders have been roaming around with impunity, duly claiming that they have a firm grip on the police department.

Bharathi, wife of the late Mattadi Mugera from Bolladka, her children, Shekhar Mugera, Anand Mugera, Krishnappa, and Shekhar's wife, Devaki, addressed a press conference here on Friday May 5. The family said that they are not only Dalits, but also very poor. "We had filed a police complaint about this assault. Although the police had registered a case, they have dithered from taking any action thereof. Instead of taking action against the perpetrators of this crime, they have owned inertia," they complained.

Anand Mugera said that a person named Shashidhar Bottadka had set up shop in a land belonging to his mother-in-law, Padenju. "When I questioned him, he promised to vacate the spot within three months. Padenju complained to us that he had not shifted his shop even after three years. We thereafter complained to the gram panchayat and police station, seeking to evict the said shop. But the departments concerned had failed to act. We then went to Shashidhar and questioned him about breaking his own promise. On this pretext, leaders of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti came with weapons in hand on April 20, illegally entered our house, attacked my brother Shekar and me, with a sword besides posing death threats to us," he stated.

He expressed suspicion about the behaviour of the police who failed to arrest the culprits although they were available here. He also sought to know from the police as to who will provide justice to poor Dalit family. "These people, who claim themselves to be Dalit leaders, have lost their right to speak on behalf of Dalits after beating up their own clan. The masks of these fake leaders who keep raising topics of Dalits at grievance meetings have fallen off," he stated.