Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)
Kundapur, Jul 25: “Government projects should be conducive to the lives of people and should not be disastrous to them. The underpass being constructed near Kirimanjeshwar Agastheshwara colony is anti people and anti Dalits. It should be stopped immediately and shifted to suitable spot,” urged Dalit leader Jayan Malpe.
He was speaking during protests held by Byndoor taluk committee of State Dalit Sangharsha Samithi opposing underpass works on Tuesday, July 24.
“Less people and fever vehicles pass by at the spot where the underpass is being constructed. Therefore, it is not useful for people. Besides it divides the Dalit colony. It also causes problems to the devotional center of Dalits here. Protests were held in the past and a memorandum was submitted to the deputy commissioner regarding the same. The deputy commissioner had responded positively for Dalit demands and written a letter to the highway authority asking them to shift the works elsewhere. The works were suspended for the last two years. But those were resumed on July 23 under police protection, without giving any advance notice. We have held symbolic protests opposing it. Violent protests will be held if the demand is not met,” he warned.
Dalit leader, advocate Manjunath Giliar said that the contractor argues that work worth Rs 8 lac is already completed here and change will make him incur loss. “If we were informed earlier, we would have collected money selling our organs, begging or collecting contributions and made good the loss. The government administration is following the policy of suppressing Dalits by resuming work in haste without prior notice,” he alleged.
Samithi district convener Narayana Rao, leaders Vasudeva Mudooru and Raju Bettinamane also spoke. A memorandum condemning the project and urging the deputy commissioner to shift the place was handed over to Byndoor tahsildar Kiran Gaurayya who was present.
Samithi heads Prabhaker V Geetha, Suresh Kumar, Manjunath Halageri, Chandra Halageri, Karunaker K K Ramachandra, Bhasker, Manjunath Nagooru and Ramesh Maravanthe were present.
Strict police security was arranged yesterday and today in the leadership of Kundapur DySP Dinesh Kumar, Byndoor circle inspector Parameshwar Gunaga, Kundapur circle inspector Manjappa D R, Byndoor SI Thimmesh B N and Gangolli SI Vinayak Billava. The work is in progress since yesterday in the leadership of Highway authority director Simon Vijayan, site engineer Naveen and IRB company's Mohandas. Police security has continued.