Dalit woman seeks CM’s help; labelled ‘prostitute’ and arrested
All she wanted was title deeds for her tiny house, but ‘police were brutal’
At a time when chief minister Siddaramaiah is making all efforts to appease the Dalit community as part of his political survival strategy, here comes an embarrassing situation: A Dalit has accused police personnel of labelling her a prostitute and packing her off to a remand home when she came to meet the CM seeking a title-deed for her house.
The woman’s sordid saga took a political turn on Tuesday when JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy took up her case and demanded that the CM ensure justice for her.
Kumaraswamy has threatened to stage a dharna in front of the CM’s residence if no action is taken against the policemen who humiliated the Dalit woman. “Is this how you treat a Dalit woman who comes to your doorstep seeking help?” Kumaraswamy asked the CM.
The woman, identified as Sunitha, is a mother of two and a resident of RPC Layout in Vijayanagar. Her husband is a goods-autorickshaw driver. On learning that her neighbours have got title-deeds for their houses she had approached city in-charge minister KJ George and housing minister Ambareesh. But with no help coming from their end, she decided to appeal to the CM.
On May 17 noon, she came along with her two kids and husband in the goods autorickshaw to meet the CM at his official residence Krishna. She was told the by the personnel at the entrance to come at 4 pm. Sunita told reporters: “When we came back we were told that the CM will be available at 5 pm and were ordered to wait outside. While other well-dressed people were being allowed entry, we just sat on the pavement and waited. When we checked at 6 pm the personnel told us that the CM will not see people after 6 pm. I told my husband to take the children home as they were hungry and I decided to wait for the CM to accept my representation.” But all hell broke loose when the policemen failed to chase her away from near the entrance. A Hoysala jeep arrived, she was bundled into it and taken to High Grounds police station.
“The cops abused me and threatened me. They accused me of being a prostitute and took me to a remand home for women on Hosur Road and left me there,” she alleged and added: “They released me the next day after my husband and kids came searching for me.”
The woman asked: “If I were to earn from prostitution why should I go to the CM’s house seeking help? Just because a few are from the lower economic strata it doesn’t mean that we can be ill-treated. All that I am seeking is title-deeds for my tiny house. Is that too a crime?”
Speaking about the incident, CM Siddaramaiah said: “The cops told me that the woman was sent to the remand home as she threatened to commit suicide. I have sought a report from senior officers.” Siddaramaiah accused Kumaraswamy of playing caste politics.
At a time when chief minister Siddaramaiah is making all efforts to appease the Dalit community as part of his political survival strategy, here comes an embarrassing situation: A Dalit has accused police personnel of labelling her a prostitute and packing her off to a remand home when she came to meet the CM seeking a title-deed for her house.
The woman’s sordid saga took a political turn on Tuesday when JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy took up her case and demanded that the CM ensure justice for her.
Kumaraswamy has threatened to stage a dharna in front of the CM’s residence if no action is taken against the policemen who humiliated the Dalit woman. “Is this how you treat a Dalit woman who comes to your doorstep seeking help?” Kumaraswamy asked the CM.
The woman, identified as Sunitha, is a mother of two and a resident of RPC Layout in Vijayanagar. Her husband is a goods-autorickshaw driver. On learning that her neighbours have got title-deeds for their houses she had approached city in-charge minister KJ George and housing minister Ambareesh. But with no help coming from their end, she decided to appeal to the CM.
On May 17 noon, she came along with her two kids and husband in the goods autorickshaw to meet the CM at his official residence Krishna. She was told the by the personnel at the entrance to come at 4 pm. Sunita told reporters: “When we came back we were told that the CM will be available at 5 pm and were ordered to wait outside. While other well-dressed people were being allowed entry, we just sat on the pavement and waited. When we checked at 6 pm the personnel told us that the CM will not see people after 6 pm. I told my husband to take the children home as they were hungry and I decided to wait for the CM to accept my representation.” But all hell broke loose when the policemen failed to chase her away from near the entrance. A Hoysala jeep arrived, she was bundled into it and taken to High Grounds police station.
“The cops abused me and threatened me. They accused me of being a prostitute and took me to a remand home for women on Hosur Road and left me there,” she alleged and added: “They released me the next day after my husband and kids came searching for me.”
The woman asked: “If I were to earn from prostitution why should I go to the CM’s house seeking help? Just because a few are from the lower economic strata it doesn’t mean that we can be ill-treated. All that I am seeking is title-deeds for my tiny house. Is that too a crime?”
Speaking about the incident, CM Siddaramaiah said: “The cops told me that the woman was sent to the remand home as she threatened to commit suicide. I have sought a report from senior officers.” Siddaramaiah accused Kumaraswamy of playing caste politics.
