Udupi: The government is failing to deliver justice to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by not distributing land legally due to them, said Sanjeev Balkur, Udupi District Coordinator of the Dalit Rights Committee (DHS). He urged the Dalit community to unite and launch a collective fight for their rights.
Speaking at a public awareness meeting held in Balkur, Kundapur taluk, Sanjeev criticized the government for diverting funds allocated for Dalit welfare and failing to address the backlog of reserved job positions. He further claimed that the ongoing privatization of public institutions is marginalizing Dalit youth by limiting employment opportunities.
CITU District Secretary Suresh Kalagar briefed attendees on welfare schemes available to building and construction workers. Pro-people activist Sriram Diwan highlighted the need for grassroots organizing, while social activist Ashwin Lawrence Moodubelle emphasized the importance of land rights for marginalized communities.
The meeting, chaired by Balkur Gram Panchayat member Sushila Balkur, also saw the formal establishment of the Balkur Gram Samiti under DHS. Annappa Balkur was elected as the convener, with Vijay Kumar and Vasu Kudru as co-conveners. Sushila Balkur will serve as treasurer. Other executive members include Ramachandra, Poornima, Manjula, Shanta, Poornachandra, Gangadhar, Mahesh, Lakshmi, Narasimha, Mahesh Saligrama, Mahesh Balkur, and Krishnamurthy.