No movie plot this is, Dalits still denied access to water!

Mangalore, Jan 27: While many still believe that traditional discrimination against Dalits are a thing of past, a fresh claim from a group of Dalits from Marakada near Kavoor stating that they have been posed to discrimination on the basis of caste has brought to light the persistence of the age old perspective that the community has been looked at.

Speaking to media persons after attending the SC/ST grievance meet at the Police Commissioner's office in Mangalore on Sunday, Shivu, Manju, Mallikarjuna, Hemanappa and Bharat spoke about them and their community being asked by certain members of the Lingayat community to stay away from the public water tap in their village Basava Nagara, Marakada near Kavoor.

“They would tell us not to use the public tap stating that we are from a lower caste. They would use abusive language on us if we go to fetch some water from the tap. We have our own tap but occasionally when there is no water in the taps meant for us, we are compelled to use the public tap,” said Mr Shivu.

This group of Dalits had come to the grievance meet to bring to the notice of the Police Commissioner the trouble they are facing from a certain Basavaraju, Atmananda, Kamalamma and Vidya of Marakada village. Mr. Mallikarjuna, one of those present in the group said that Basavaraju and other Lingayats in the village would raise objections to Dalits drying their clothes on their compound wall stating that they are from a low caste. “Basavaraju also barged into my house and misbehaved with my wife. He assaulted,” Mr. Mallikarjuna said. Although an FIR has been registered at the Kavoor Police Station and police claiming that one person has been taken into custody, Mr. Mallikarjuna and others are not happy with the way the police have handled the case so far.

'Don't splash names of Dalit women victims in media'

Krishnappa Konchady, a Dalit representative present at the meet, raised the issue of names of Dalit female victims of sexual violence and exploitation being splashed in newspaper reports. When the names of the victims are revealed it causes further embarrassment and agony to the victims and the entire Dalit community is put to shame, he said.

Media persons were told to take note of the objection and refrain from publishing names of victims in reports.