[Reader-list] Neel Kranti's Video report on Dalits Protest in New Delhi against Laxmipeta Massacre ( 6 Sept 2012)

[anoop kumar]

*Dalits Protest in New Delhi against Laxmipeta Massacre on 6th September*


By* Neel Kranti Media*




 One 12th June, this year, at Laxmipeta, Andhra Pradesh, another chapter
was added in the long list of massacres of Dalits by dominant castes in
“Independent” India where men and women from Kapu caste attacked Dalits
from the same village, killing 5 of them and leaving more than 50 others
grievously injured.

However this was not the first attack.


In September last year also, the Kapus attacked the Dalit *basti* killing a
Dalit woman while severely injuring three other women including the village
*sarpanch*.

On 6 September, three months after the June massacre, more than 200 Dalits
survivors of Laxmipeta massacre gathered in New Delhi to demand justice and
to protest against the insensitivity of the local administration towards
the victims and the shielding of the culprits by couple of cabinet
ministers in Andhra Pradesh government.  The protest was held under the
banner of Dalit Struggle Solidarity Committee of Andhra Pradesh.


Laxmipeta is a small village in Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh.
About 80 Dalit families along with 100 families from Kapu caste were
rehabilitated in the village, after Madduvalasa Project. The Kapus, the
dominant caste, were paid compensation to their lands acquired and were
also provided with 40 government jobs. The Dalits being landless were
content with only a small house site. Neither compensation nor government
jobs were given to them.


After completion of the project, an extent of 250 acres of agricultural
land remained surplus, which is not put to any use of the project. Since
last 10-12 years, the Dalits are cultivating an extent of 60 acres and the
remaining 190 acres are cultivated by Kapus.


Since 3 years the Kapus are threatening the Dalits to leave their land and
not to cultivate. Since the lands are acquired and compensation paid, the
lands now belong to the government and no one has any claim over it. The
Dalits refuse to yield to the pressures and continued to cultivate the
lands, in spite of couple of attacks on them.


On 12th June 2012, a kapu mob swooped on the Dalit habitation at about 7
am, hurling bombs, destroying Dalit houses and attacking whoever was found
on the street. They brutally killed 5 Dalit men using spears and axes and
caused grievous injuries to many Dalits, some of whom lost their limbs
rendering them completely unfit for any work throughout their lives.


During the protest at New Delhi, Bojja Tharkam, a leading Dalit
intellectual and leader from Andhra Pradesh said, “The accused, including
the prime conspirator were arrested only after 20 days after the FIR and
that too after an agitation by the Dalits in the entire Andhra Pradesh”.


He accused two cabinet ministers of Congress led Andhra Pradesh government,
one of them being President of AP Congress Committee, from kapu community
and another being a Dalit MLA from the Srikakulam district who despite
being elected from a reserved constituency is siding with the perpetrators
of ghastly crime against Dalits.

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*The Demands raised by the protestors were as follows*


   - The special court to be established at Laxmipet Village and the trial
   to be completed within three months.
   - The 250 acres of agricultural land to be assigned to the Dalits of
   Laxmipeta. A part of the said land can also be assigned to Dalits and other
   poor of Kottisa, a neighbouring village.
   - Immediate filing of the charge sheet by the police. The SC, ST (POA)
   Act command that the charge sheet shall be filed within 30 days, however
   even after 75 days the charge sheet is not filed and therefore the court is
   giving bails to the perpetrators of the massacre.
   - Immediate sacking of both the cabinet ministers of the AP government
   who are shielding the murders of Laxmipeta village.

*Please watch the video report (in Hindi) on the protest*

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* **http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiEAmsdx11w&feature=youtu.be***

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