Karnataka: Dalit residents restricted from using road in Haveri; authorities take swift action

Local residents from Dalit community in Malakanahalli village of Haveri district accused upper-caste people of restricting them from using a road in the village, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The road was constructed under the legislator’s area development fund a year ago, the people added.

In a complaint filed with the tehsildar, the Valmiki community alleged that the upper-caste Kuruba community had placed stones and wooden poles across the road to restrict them from using it.

On Wednesday, the Dalit community staged an overnight dharna in the village, urging the government to take action and let them use the road. Based on the complaint, Ranebennur tehsildar Hanumanthappa Shirahatti and district social welfare officer Kauser Reshma rushed to the village along with police officers. The officials held a meeting with both communities to remove the makeshift bushes and warned of legal action if anyone obstructs Dalits from using the road in the future. “I, along with social welfare officials and police, visited the spot and immediately ordered the removal of stones and wooden poles placed across the road,” Ranebennur Tahsildar Hanumanthappa Shirahatti told HT. He said no one has the right to block the public road.

“We complained to the tehsildar after the Valmiki community complained about discrimination against them,” Reshma told HT. She said today the blockade was removed, and the tehsildar called a meeting on Tuesday in his office with leaders of both communities to sort out the issue permanently.

“The state government laid a concrete road last year for the usage of all villagers, but the Kuruba community blocked the road by putting stones and bushes on the road,” Valmiki community leader Ravindra Gowda Patil told reporters. “Despite complaints to officials, no action had been taken for a week. We launched a protest on Wednesday to press the authorities to act upon it,” he added.

Kuruba community leader and Madenur Gram Panchayat member Beerappa Kenchappa Kariyannanavar, however, said that the road was blocked as the Valmiki community had blocked another road.