Govt urged to act against untouchability

Members of CPI (M) held a protest in front of Nachiketha Students Hostel, urging the government to act against untouchability and social atrocity, on Saturday.

They demanded that the government should abolish ‘Pankhtibedha’ (a practice where food is served to brahmins separately in temples in Udupi and other areas), Madesnana and other superstitious beliefs. A committee set up by the State government to look into such atrocities on dalits should look into it, they said.

The protesters also urged the government to hike the compensation amount given to (SC/ST) victims of casteism.

In Gauribidanur

CPI(M) activists urged the Central government to bring a separate legislation to check social atrocity against dalits, madesnana, casteism and provide funds under the SCP project for dalits development. They held a protest in this regard at Ambedkar Circle here on Saturday.

Atrocities on dalits have increased in the State after the BJP came to power. As many as 1632 atrocity cases on dalits have been registered. But the State government is burying the cases without conducting an inquiry into it.

The party district unit general secretary Siddalingappa said over 250 temples under the Muzrai Department in the State practice madesnana, ‘phanktibheda’ among others. Such practices should be banned, they demanded.

They further urged the government to provide lands to landless dalits and fill-up backlog posts.