Dalits shout slogan against Udupi MLA, engage in verbal duels
Separate dharna before DC office for sand
Udupi, Jan 29: Two separate protests of the District SC/ST Sand Boats Workers Association and Action Committee for Sand led by Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat held in front of the deputy commissioner’s office here on Tuesday ended up in verbal duels between the two groups.
When the overnight protest of the Action Committee for Sand entered the second day, the SC/ST Labourers held another protest as the Mining Minister was supposed to visit the district. During the protest, the dalits shouted slogans against the MLA saying that he has been supporting the sand mafia.
Sangha general secretary Shekar Hejamadi said that the Udupi MLA has been supporting the sand mafia. They would expose his activities before the national and state leaders. They were given constitutional rights and they were asking it, they said.
At this moment, BJP CMC member Girish Anchan brought his car in front of the dalits where they were sitting dharna. But the dalits objected to it and asked the police to remove the car. Then the BJP workers gathered there and objected to shouting slogans against their MLA. This has led to verbal duels between both the groups. However, the police who rushed to the spot pacified the situation.
MLA Raghupathi Bhat said that the district administration has been conspiring against him purposefully and asked the dalits not to fall prey for it. The district administration has been trying to control their protest through conflict. Their protest was a political protest and fighting for the people. The administration should not divide them, he said.
Countering it, SC/ST Labourers Association honorary president Uday Kumar Tallur said that the elected representatives who should have become the voice of the dalits were neglecting them. There were none to raise voice in favour of them. They were not sitting dharna under the direction of the district administration. They were not the slaves of anybody, he said.
“We are sitting in dharna in order to express their grievances before the Mining Minister. The MLA should not speak lightly. He should tender apology from the dalits. One should not oppress their voice. The MLA should speak in the Vidhana Soudha on sand problem instead of speaking in streets. We do not have fear of anybody. We are asking justice only”, he said.
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UP: 90 Bangladeshis, including 28 children, held in Mathura for illegal stay
Mathura (UP), May 16 (PTI): As many as 90 Bangladeshi nationals, including many children, were apprehended from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district on Friday for alleged illegal stay in India, officials said.
They were taken into custody from local brickyards at Khajpur village under the Naujheel police station limits, a senior officer said.
"Regular searches were being conducted throughout the district. During one such operation, police were searching some local brickyards when they came across Bangladeshi nationals working there," SSP Shlok Kumar said.
Giving a break-up, the officer said in all, 35 men, 27 women and 28 children have been taken into custody.
"During interrogation, all of them admitted to being Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in India. They moved to Mathura three to four months back from a neighbouring state. Police are trying to establish their links," the SSP said, adding that their job contractor and other associates are also being questioned.
The officer told PTI that police also recovered some Aadhaar cards from the Bangladeshi nationals, apparently issued on forged documents in some other state.
Further legal proceedings are underway, Kumar said.
