Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)
Udupi, Jul 2: The Coastal Nomadic (Shillekyatha) Rights Community staged a protest demanding basic facilities and submitted an appeal to Mamatha Devi GS, assistant deputy commissioner (ADC), at the DC’s office in Manipal on Tuesday July 2.
Santhosh Bajal, a DYFI state leader and honorary adviser on nomadic rights, addressed the protest, stating, “People who shout for sectarian religion politics never respond to the problems of nomads. For many years, the nomadic communities living along the banks of the Brahmavar, Pangala, Malpe, Kattbelthur, and Gulwadi rivers in Udupi district have faced numerous issues. MLAs who have not even responded to the physical assaults on women are now vocal about religious politics in the same areas.”
In the protest, Santhosh highlighted that, “Shillekyatha communities, belonging to Scheduled Castes, are socially, economically, and educationally backward due to their nomadic lifestyle. Social welfare departments and nomadic development corporations exist in name only to uplift these communities but are not prioritizing their problems. Legislators, parliamentarians, and district officials should visit and study the conditions in which these people are living.”
He continued, “Although a case has been registered against those who entered the huts of these communities, who are often subjected to local violence, the Kundapur police have not arrested the accused until they obtained anticipatory bail, which is condemnable. The district administration must immediately act on the demands submitted by the Shillekyatha community or face further struggles,” he warned.
Kaviraj S Kanchan, the honourary president, expressed suspicions that illegal sand mining gangs were involved in helping the accused from Gangolli avoid police arrest and secure anticipatory bail.
After the protest, the appeal was accepted by Mamata Devi ADC, who assured that action would be taken to resolve the issues.
Shashidhar Golla, leader of the Udupi district CITU labour organization, Shankar Gulwadi, leaders of the nomadic community, Jayamala (the assaulted woman), Deepu, Prabhakar Poojary (Udupi district coordinator of the Karnataka Defense Forum), Siddabasaiah Swami (Udupi district coordinator of the Sangolli Rayanna fan group), and others expressed their support for the protest.
Leaders of the nomadic community, including Babu, Prakash, Lokesh, Siddappa, Swami, and Nagaraj, led the protest. Rama T N, secretary, welcomed the gathering.
CITU leaders, Mohan Nalini S, state leaders of the coastal nomadic community, Venkatesh, Lokesh, and others were present at the protest.