Dalit organisations hold protest rally

GUNTUR: A delegation of all party leaders and dalitorganisations conducted a protest rally here on Wednesday against the High Court’s order on Tsundur massacre case in April acquitting all the persons pronounced as guilty by a special court. The collective show of strength and solidarity backing the decades long struggle for justice marked a new epoch in the movement.

The day marked the 23rd anniversary of a blood soaked chapter in modern history. It was on August 6, 1991, a group of henchmen chased and lynched eight Dalits in the fields near Tsundur. Afer a long delay, a special court was set up in the year 2004 and after marathon sessions, the special court in 2007 pronounced 56 persons as guilty. The court awarded life imprisonment sentence to 21 persons and awarded simple imprisonment to 35 persons.

A division bench of High Court headed by Justice L. Narasimha Reddy struck down the case on April 21 citing lack of evidence. The AP Government filed a special leave petition and on July 30, the Supreme Court stayed the HC order.

Communist Party of India leader P. Madhu, Dalit Bahujan Front state secretary MelamBhagyaRao, All India Rythu Coolie Sangham, Arunodaya leader Vimalakka led the rally which started at Dr.B.RAmbedkar Statue here and ended at the `RakthaSkethram,’ a mound where the victims of Tsundur massacre have been buried.

A public meeting was held in which the speakers criticized the High Court’s judgment. Tsundurvictims association president Jaladi Moses said that even after 23 years of relentless struggle, justice continued to elude the people.

Source: The Hindu