4 days ago
Left, Dalit groups protest over police torture
Rajamahendravaram: CPI, CPM, CPI (ML) New Democracy, and various Dalit rights organisations organised a protest here on Monday, condemning the police assault on Dalit and minority youth in Tenali. The protest began with floral tributes at the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.
Speaking at the protest, CPI leader Tatipaka Madhu and CPM leader T Arun recalled past instances of police brutality under the previous YSRCP government, including the cases of Dr Sudhakar and driver Subrahmanyam. They stated that such incidents were a key reason people voted out the YSRCP and elected the alliance government. However, they alleged that despite a change in government, Dalits still remain unprotected, citing the latest Tenali incident as proof. The leaders said that even if the three youths were found using ganja or involved in any wrongdoing, they should have been arrested and produced before the court in accordance with the law. 'Police have no authority to beat people in public. Such acts are unconstitutional and inhuman,' they said.
They strongly criticised Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha for not condemning the incident and instead defending the police action.
'It is outrageous that Dalit youth were stomped on with boots and beaten up on a road,' they said.
Questioning Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's silence, the leaders said, 'He was quick to respond to remarks made against Amaravati women. Why is he silent now when Dalits are being brutally assaulted?'
Dalit organisation leaders Korukonda Chiranjeevi, Jangam Subbarao, and S Vijay Kumar urged the alliance government to respect the Constitution and the rule of law.
They reminded that the Supreme Court and human rights bodies have ruled against custodial torture. Chikatla Venkateswara Rao, district assistant secretary of New Democracy, demanded the immediate suspension of the Tenali CI and SI and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
Several prominent leaders, including CPI district assistant secretary K Rambabu, city secretary V Kondala Rao, assistant secretary Sappa Ramana, CPM district leaders B Pavan Poornima Raju, New Democracy leaders K Sattibabu and V Chittibabu, and CPI leaders P Lavanya, K Srinivas, and T Nageswara Rao, participated n this protest.
