Writer and activist Anand Teltumbde has been in prison on false charges, but no parliamentarian has raised a voice against the injustice done to him, said H.M. Rudraswamy, a senior leader of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti.
He spoke at a seminar organised in memory of one of the founders of DSS, B.V. Chandraprasad Tyagi, in Hassan on Sunday.
The Kannada edition of a book on the Mahad Satyagraha written by R.B. More and Mr. Teltumbde was released on the occasion.
“The government has imprisoned Mr. Teltumbde after branding him a Naxal. But, none of our parliamentarians protested this. We have our representatives, but they have lost their voice,” he said.
Referring to the book released on the occasion, Mr. Rudraswamy said B.R. Ambedkar led the Mahad Satyagraha for access to drinking water. “This is equivalent to the Salt Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi,” he said.
Recalling the struggles of Mr. Chandraprasad Tyagi, Mr. Rudraswamy said the Dalit movement was strong under his leadership in Hassan. He attracted many young leaders towards the movement and led struggles and succeeded in getting land granted to Dalits in Hassan.
The programme was organised by the Dalit Hakkugala Samiti of Hassan district unit. Samiti president M.G. Pruthvi, artist K.T. Shivaprasad, DSS leaders H.K. Sandesh, Erappa, CITU leader Dharmesh, and others attended the programme.
