Andhra Commission to probe untouchability complaints

Hyderabad – Following numerous complaints made to the Andhra Pradesh Commission for SC and ST, Justice K. Punnaiah, who is heading the Commission has decided to investigate into the matter, Christian Today has confirmed.

“We have got complaints about several instances of untouchability,” Justice Punnaiah said. “The SC and ST people are still not allowed into temples and face discrimination on various other fronts.”

According to Justice Punnaiah, the discrimination is worst in the suburbs of Hyderabad and even bureaucrats have been found to discriminate against the lower caste people in certain cases. The commission also got complaints that people from SC and ST communities were finding it difficult to get houses on rent on the city suburbs. “Many upper caste people refuse to accept SC and ST people as their tenants,” said L. Mysaiah, State President of AP Ambedkar Yuvajana Sangham and B. Vishwanatham, State President of Dalit Praja Samithi.

However, Justice Punnaiah pointed out that the house owner had the right to decide who would be the tenant. “Such cases cannot be regarded as instances of untouchability,” he pointed out. The Commission, appointed by the State government to inquire into the implementation of laws for the protection of Dalits, received representations from SC and ST organisations in the city.

The commission had already completed its sittings in other districts of the State. “We hope to submit the report by October this year,” Justice Punnaiah said.

Many representations had been submitted to the Commission about various incidents of untouchability. “In some villages, upper caste people have even removed idols of deities from temples after Dalits offered prayers there,” he said.