Bengaluru: The Kuppegala incident in Mysuru district, where some school children refused to eat midday meals as it was prepared by a dalit cook, is not an isolated event. There’s rising discrimination against the scheduled castes/tribes in Karnataka according to government data. Annually, over 3,000 dalits (around nine persons per day) become victims of caste atrocities and discrimination.

In 2009, police registered 1,254 cases across the state under the Protection of Civil Rights Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. Four years later, the figure rose to 1,708. Bengaluru records the highest number of offences against scheduled castes and tribes and that too is rising by the year. In 2009, there were 82 cases which went up to 130 in 2012. In 2012, Mysuru recorded 6 cases, Hubballi-Dharwad 10 and Mangaluru 25.

Among the districts, the maximum cases, over 80, are reported from Belagavi and Kalaburagi.

From investigator to sociologist , everyone says there’s widespread untouchability and discrimination against dalits, both overt and concealed, across the state in varied forms. Most places of conflict in villages are temples, hotels, hair-cutting saloons and washerman services. “In many places, hotel owners have come come up with a solution which pleases both dalits and other castes -- they use plastic or paper plates and cups,’’ said a senior police officer.

Sociologist Prof GK Karanth speaks about ‘concealed untouchability’ by dominant castes and ‘active withdrawal’ by dalits. “During assessment of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan programme, we found that many children were not eating at school, but bringing food from home. It was made to look like a ‘class phenomenon’, that they need free food. Also, cooks in schools and anganwadis are conveniently selected from an acceptable community. Many ways of concealed and subtle untouchability are practised,’’ Karanth said.

He added, “Dalits avoid some places like a temple, barber’s shop or hotel where they won’t be served or entertained. It’s a defense mechanism to escape rejection and humiliation. So, the discrimination goes on, but without conflict.’’

Ministerspeak

Even today, a dalit’s life is difficult in the villages. Equality remains a mirage. At many places, there are problems over using water from the borewell.

V Sreenivas Prasad | revenue minister (at the SC/ST Development Council Meeting on October 10, 2014)

