Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 3: Deputy commissioner (DC) of Dakshina Kannada district Dr K G Jagadeesha boycotted the meeting and walked out during SC/ST grievances meeting held at his office on Wednesday August 2. He was incensed over the allegation made by the leaders of Dalit organizations that the DC has been neglecting the Dalits by not implementing the scheme to distribute DC Manna land to eligible people from scheduled castes and tribes. The leaders had also vehemently protested against the alleged lack of concern on the part of the DC for the Dalits.

The SC/ST grievances meeting was presided over by the DC. When the leaders resumed their demand for distributing DC Manna land to Dalits, the deputy commissioner clarified that there is no clearcut guidance on the issue of DC Manna land from the government. He said that clear guidelines have been sought on this issue from the government.

The Dalit leaders, who were aggrieved by this statement, raised their voices and accused the DC of neglecting Dalits. Chandu, leader of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, Beltangady, said that there is record of DC Manna land having been earmarked even when British were ruling India. He said that although the leaders have been fighting for land under this scheme since the last three decades, the district authorities have been showing negligence in giving land under this scheme to the Dalits.

The leaders did not concur with the DC's claim of writing to the government and insisted that the DC has to solve the problem himself instead of just writing to the government. The DC, who was incensed by this demand, said that he would remain in the meeting only if the members help in conducting it in an orderly, disciplined manner and threatened to walk out if peace does not settle. As the leaders continued to pour out their anguish, he cut short the meeting midway and walked out of the meeting.

Leaders of Dalit organizations thereafter held a press conference at Press Club Bantwal where they asked DC, Dr Jagadeesha, either to volunteer for transfer out of the district for not listening to grievances of Dalits. If he fails do so, they demanded the government to shift him out of the district. President of Dakshina Kannada district Ambedkar Forum for Social Justice Bhanuchandra Krishnapur and president of Navachetana Seva Trust Bantwal, Raja Pallamajalu, who spoke at the meeting, said they are pained at the behaviour of the DC, who holds a responsible position and who is expected to listen to grievances of Dalits sympathetically and find solution to their problems. They also accused district superintendent of police Sudheer Kumar Reddy of highhanded behaviour with Dalit leaders and forcing them not to air their opinions. They accused these two officers of being directly responsible for the turn of events.

They accused the DC of signalling the leaders to sit whenever they brought up issues concerning Dalits at various meetings by rising to their feet, and said that they will bring the behaviour of the DC to the notice of chief minister and district in-charge minister.

Leaders of diferent organizations, Janardana Bolantoor, Jaya Sampoli, Raghavendra Surulimoole, Satish Arala, and member of BJP SC Morcha's district committee, Shekhar Kadthalabettu, were present.