(In March 2010, Liberation had carried a fact-finding report on atrocities against Dalits in Budihalli, Karnataka. Months later, another team of women activists of PUCL-Karnataka, HRFDL, AIPWA, Samata and Stree Jagruti Samiti investigated reports that 35 Dalit families had fled Budihalli on 18 August 2010. The team (in which AIPWA was represented by Rati Rao, Poarkodi and Rachel) visited Venkateshwaranagar slum of Challakere taluk, Chitradurga district, on 5 September 2010 A summary of their findings is below – Ed/-)

In Budihalli village, humiliation of Dalit Madigas by the dominant Nayakas and Gollas, especially harassment and exploitation of Madiga women, is common. On 22 December 2009, when Madiga people cleared the woods for cultivation in 4 acres of government grazing land (bagarhukum), the Nayakas and Gollas had attacked them and even attempted to rape a Madiga girl. Cases were registered in Parashurampura Police Station on 26 Dec 2009 (FIR No 0147) and a protest was held. In the meanwhile, Dalits were booked for rioting on the same issue and police was stationed in the village. Since then, the Madigas have been facing social boycott and public humiliation. The community members have been denied any kind of employment in the village.

Recently, a married Nayak man managed to take Sumithra, a Class XII student, of Madiga community to Bangalore and marry her. After a fortnight he brought her back to Budihalli and deserted her. When Madigas sought justice by filing a case, counter cases were filed. Her mangalsutra was destroyed. They were forced to settle for a paltry sum of Rs. 25,000 as compensation.

In another incident, Lakshmamma, a Madiga woman, was brutally beaten up by Nagappa and his wife, belonging to the dominant community. When Lakshmamma filed a case, counter cases were filed on six of her brothers and a sister.

These two incidents were the trigger for the Madiga families to flee Budihalli in frustration. They began their exodus on the midnight of 17 August 2010, leaving their huts, lands, and belongings behind. About 35 families trudged nearly 30 km to reach the outskirts of Challakere town. There, with the help of activists of HRFDL nearly 25 families settled in three vacant huts in Venkateshwaranagar slum and the rest have occupied huts in the adjacent neighbourhoods.

Sexual Exploitation

Rape, sexual abuse and social boycott are the primary reasons for the families to flee the village. Madiga women of Budihalli have been victims of various forms of sexual exploitation. Dominant communities try to reinforce the sexual servitude of Madiga women, which were prevalent with the practice of bonded labour. When the women refuse to cooperate they are verbally abused, threatened with torching the huts or false implications in theft cases.

District officials have denied that the women were raped and sexually harassed and claim that no cases have been registered by women in this regard. Contrary to their claim, a case of attempted rape was lodged in December 2009 which was countered with another case on the victim’s mother.

Apathy of District Administration

District-incharge Minister Karunakara Reddy, Deputy Commissioner Amlan Aditya Biswas and Superintendent of Police Labhu Ram have completely denied the charges of rape, sexual harassment and social boycott.

A fact-finding committee constituted by the DC comprising Additional Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, Tahshildar, District Social Welfare Officer and Circle Police Inspector visited Budihalli and submitted a 14-page report denying there was any exodus. The report claims 26 families voluntarily left the village at different intervals in search of better wages. Assistant Commissioner T Venkatesh has stated that a good number of them have leased out their lands. He then added that 9 families left Budihalli on the night of 17 Aug 2010 fearing arrest after a fight broke over a petty issue.

Right from the beginning, the district administration has been taking the side of the dominant community and issuing public statements at the behest of the Nayakas and Gollas. Even the minimum recommendation of opening gruel centres to prevent starvation made by the previous fact-finding team has not been fulfilled. Worse still, when the people approached the district administration they responded that there is no urgent need to open a gruel centre as no one has died.

Recommendations:

The district administration should start gruel centres immediately to prevent starvation.

Minimum of two acres of cultivable land from government surplus holdings must be provided free to every Madiga family, which has fled Budihalli.

Government should create sustainable livelihood for the community and provide basic amenities including, pucca houses, toilets, anganwadi, PHC and drinking water.

An independent body comprising community members, women’s organizations, dalit organizations and other human rights groups be formed for proper channelization of the sanctioned amount of Rs 63 lakh towards community development without any corruption.

Stringent legal action should be taken against the perpetrators of sexual crimes.

The Deputy Commissioner should be dismissed for miserably failing to conduct an impartial enquiry, not providing any rehabilitation and making statements that is unbecoming of his office.