GULBARGA: It was 27 years ago on July 1 a movement was started which has grown powerful and brought about a change in the lives of the oppressed sections of society, and to a large extent eradicated untouchability in the rural areas of Hyderabad-Karnataka.

This is the story of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) which was founded by D.G. Sagar, Basanna Singhe, Shantappa Hadimani and others in 1980 here.

Although the DSS has suffered splits in the recent past, the main aim of fighting against the injustice to Dalits and empowering them has remained the objective of all groups.

In the caste dominated Hyderabad Karnataka region, exploitation of Dalits and untouchability was highly prevalent prior to the start of the Dalit movement.

The Dalit movement has changed their lives in the rural areas to one of dignity. Untouchability and the ban on entry of Dalits into temples, which was almost the norm in almost all the villages, is not heard of now, and the isolated incidents of untouchability reported in remote villages are dealt with immediately and the guilty punished.

Another contribution of the DSS was the spread of ideals of B.R. Ambedkar.

He is a demigod for the Dalits and one can find his photo in pooja rooms, along with other deities.

Educational empowerment is another area where the DSS has made a significant contribution, and the literacy level among Dalits, particularly in rural areas has gone up considerably in the past two decades.

They now have thousands of postgraduates and those with post-doctoral degree and the community has produced some of the finest medical professionals.

Some of the important agitations launched by DSS included the one against the practice of nude worship at Mahapura Thayi temple in Chinchansur in Aland taluk in the late 1979s, the protests in a number of villages against the practice of providing separate cups for Dalits in tea shops and against the lathi-charge on semi-naked protesters who were giving vent to their anger over the murder of Dalits in Pet Ammapur and Hagargundigi villages in the district in 1994.

This forced the State Government to transfer top officials, including the then Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Manoli, Superintendent of Police Jeevankumar Goankar and Additional Superintendent of Police Krishna Bhat.

A judicial commission headed by B.K. Sangaladh indicted the senior officials for mishandling the situation.

The Chinchansur protest gave a momentum to the movement leading to the organisation of Dalits and formation of DSS.

Burying their differences, the Dalit factions in the region have come together to make the silver jubilee celebrations, delayed by two years, a success.

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