TALE OF WOE: Dalit women Sunanda Sreenivas, Rukminamma Mallesh andJayamma Devaiah of K. Shettahalli village talking of their problems onSaturday. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAMK. SHETTAHALLI (MANDYA DISTRICT): For the Dalits of this non-descriptvillage in Srirangapatna taluk, Ambedkar Jayanti was ironically abitter day. Despite the presence of Rapid Action Force and KarnatakaState Reserve Police platoons in the village, the Dalits are still ina state of terror after a brutal attack on them by caste Hindus onFriday.Indeed, the deployment of police forces in the village has not helpedin allaying the fear among Dalits, as according to them, the casteattack on them was followed by police violence. Of the 20 injured inthe incident, four are being treated in K.R. Hospital, Mysore, whileothers have returned to the village after treatment.Protesting against the police and caste attacks against them, Dalitsblocked Bangalore-Mysore road for an hour. Their leaders gheraoedMinister for Transport and Mandya district in-charge N. CheluvarayaSwamy on Saturday during his visit to Mandya to participate in theAmbedkar Jayanti programmes.The police attribute the simmering dispute over the rights to liftsand from the Lokapavani River as the cause of the friction betweenthe Dalits and the dominant Vokkaliga community. The immediate
youth swimming in the river, the police say.According to Dalits, however, the attack on them is the end result of pent-up upper caste rage against them. The police have arrested one person in connection with the incident and registered a complaint against 12 persons.`Planned S.S. Ranganatha Kumar, a former taluk panchayat president told The Hindu : "It was a planned attack on Dalits. When some Vokkaliga women abused Dalit boys for swimming in the river, Dalits complained to their leaders. Leaders of both the communities tried to resolve the differences at a meeting. However, a few Vokkaliga boys opposed the meeting and threatened to `teach Dalits a lesson.' Within minutes of the completion of meeting, more than 20 men armed with clubs, iron rods and sickles attacked Dalit youths and injured D. Shivalingaiah, K. Lokesh, V. Keerthi Kumar and B. Prakash seriously."Showing the wounds on her body, Sunanda Sreenivas said that more than10 persons pounced on her when she tried to save her so Shivalingaiah. Rukminamma Mallesh and Jayamma Devaiah spoke of how the police "tormented" them and their children when they questioned the police on why they allowed the accused to escape. They told The Hindu that what hurt them more than the physical abuse was the caste abuse they had to endure from both the police and the "upper castes" of the village.The Vokkaligas of the village have watched the small steps taken by Dalits towards empowerment with distrust. According to K. Panduranga, a Dalit village resident, the representation of Dalits in local dairy and other institutions that were earlier dominated by the Vokkaligasfuelled their anger. They could not stomach even the small advances in education by young Dalits. Despite these changes, 85 per cent of",1]
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provocation for Friday's clash was Vokkaliga caste opposition to Dalityouth swimming in the river, the police say.According to Dalits, however, the attack on them is the end result ofpent-up upper caste rage against them. The police have arrested oneperson in connection with the incident and registered a complaintagainst 12 persons.`Planned'S.S. Ranganatha Kumar, a former taluk panchayat president told TheHindu : "It was a planned attack on Dalits. When some Vokkaliga womenabused Dalit boys for swimming in the river, Dalits complained totheir leaders. Leaders of both the communities tried to resolve thedifferences at a meeting. However, a few Vokkaliga boys opposed themeeting and threatened to `teach Dalits a lesson.' Within minutes ofthe completion of meeting, more than 20 men armed with clubs, ironrods and sickles attacked Dalit youths and injured D. Shivalingaiah,K. Lokesh, V. Keerthi Kumar and B. Prakash seriously."Showing the wounds on her body, Sunanda Sreenivas said that more than10 persons pounced on her when she tried to save her sonShivalingaiah. Rukminamma Mallesh and Jayamma Devaiah spoke of how thepolice "tormented" them and their children when they questioned thepolice on why they allowed the accused to escape. They told The Hinduthat what hurt them more than the physical abuse was the caste abusethey had to endure from both the police and the "upper castes" of thevillage.The Vokkaligas of the village have watched the small steps taken byDalits towards empowerment with distrust. According to K. Panduranga,a Dalit village resident, the representation of Dalits in local dairyand other institutions that were earlier dominated by the Vokkaligasfuelled their anger. They could not stomach even the small advances ineducation by young Dalits. Despite these changes, 85 per cent of
said.\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>Mr. Ranganatha Kumar urged the Government to arrest all those involved\u003cbr /\>and take action against the police officials who beat up Dalit women.\u003cbr /\>He demanded compensation for the families who were victims of\u003cbr /\>atrocities and for suitable protection for Dalits in the village. If\u003cbr /\>the authorities failed to protect them, they would be forced to launch\u003cbr /\>a peaceful, non-violent protest, he said.\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>--\u003cbr /\>Subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a BLANK email to \u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"mailto:ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com\"\>ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroup\u003cwbr /\>s.com\u003c/a\> OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting \u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join\" target\u003d_blank\>http://groups.yahoo.com/group\u003cwbr /\>/ZESTCaste/join\u003c/a\>\u003cbr /\>Yahoo! Groups Links\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\><*> To visit your group on the web, go to:\u003cbr /\> \u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/\" target\u003d_blank\>http://groups.yahoo.com/group\u003cwbr /\>/ZESTCaste/\u003c/a\>\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\><*> Your email settings:\u003cbr /\> Individual Email Traditional\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\><*> To change settings online go to:\u003cbr /\> \u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join\" target\u003d_blank\>http://groups.yahoo.com/group\u003cwbr /\>/ZESTCaste/join\u003c/a\>\u003cbr /\> (Yahoo! ID required)\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\><*> To change settings via email:\u003cbr /\> mailto:\u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"mailto:ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com\"\>ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups\u003cwbr /\>.com\u003c/a\>\u003cbr /\> mailto:\u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"mailto:ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com\"\>ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogr\u003cwbr /\>oups.com\u003c/a\>\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\><*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:\u003cbr /\> \u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"mailto:ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com\"\>ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogro\u003cwbr /\>ups.com\u003c/a\>\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\><*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:\u003cbr /\> \u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/\" target\u003d_blank\>http://docs.yahoo.com/info\u003cwbr /\>/terms/\u003c/a\>\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>\u003c/div\>",0]
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Dalits are poor and come under the Below Poverty Line category, hesaid.Mr. Ranganatha Kumar urged the Government to arrest all those involvedand take action against the police officials who beat up Dalit women.He demanded compensation for the families who were victims ofatrocities and for suitable protection for Dalits in the village. Ifthe authorities failed to protect them, they would be forced to launcha peaceful, non-violent protest, he said.