Dalit Alleges Boycott Over Land Dispute

MYSORE: A dalit family which has alleged boycott by fellow villagers for more than a year over a land dispute staged a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Friday. They picketed the office with their utensils, clothes and other belongings.

Venkatram, a resident of Mavinahalli in Mysore taluk, demanding justice for his family, was accompanied by his wife Leela, his mother and two children. He said fellow dalits have been boycotting his family for filing a complaint against the alleged encroachment of his land.

He accused a local villager of Chikkahalli of encroaching one acre of his land on Survey No 130 in the village after Venkatram’s late father failed to return the `100 he had borrowed from him. He said the rest of the land was taken over later in lieu of interest. Venkatram said he was still a minor when this happened and that he and his mother were forced to work on the land.

Venkatram accused the villager of cheating his illiterate mother and other dalits.

He said he had not followed the village headman’s advice to strike a compromise. “I was away for a year after the boycott. But the boycott continued even after my return and we were not allowed to perform pooja during Sankranti, fetch water from borewells and interact with others in the village.” Meanwhile, dalit families from the village denied Venkatram’s charges.

Superintendent of Police Abhinav Khare said he was not aware of the issue and promised to take action. There was no response to calls made to Deputy Commissioner C Shikha.

Source: The New Indian Express