By Ravichandran Chakkiliyan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: On Monday, the Tsundur Dalits Struggle Committee For Justice, comprising seventy-five people’s organization, protested against the Andhra Pradesh High Court judgment which released the twenty-one accused in the Tsundur Dalit massacre case. The protest was a part of the long struggle the committee has taken up. In the history of dalit movement, this was the first time a protest has been staged in front of a High Court demanding justice for the Tsundur dalits. All of the protestors taken into preventive custody and were released in the afternoon.
The Committee wanted to represent the issue to the Chief Justice of AP and Telangana High Court, but they were not given an appointment. Hence a press meet has been organized on July 15 against the same.
Activist T.Sandya said “We reject the Tsundur judgment and we will fight till we get the justice. We have been protesting against the judgment since it was pronounced. Under the leadership of Bojja Tarakam we formed the solidarity committee. Since its formation we have been giving several representations and have protested on several occasions. We have protested at the district collector office and have given our representation there. We also gave representation to the Governor and the Chief Minister. We demand to know who butchered dalits and threw their bodies in the Tungabadhra river. The High Court judge says there is no accused in the case then who has killed these dalits, we ask. Who will tell us? Will the police tell us or will the court tell us, who is responsible for the blood that flowed in the Tungabadra river? Even after the witnesses testified against the 21 accused, the Brahmanical judge did not yield. If the judgment is not taken back we will keep protesting for justice. The Judiciary and police should be accountable for their action. This judgment only makes people lose their faith in the Judiciary.”
Vimala Akka said “if we protest against the judgment, they come and arrest us. It is sad that even the High Court is supporting the culprits in Tsundur case. Dalits do not get justice anywhere.”
Background:
On August 6, 1991 around 300 savarnas including Reddys and Telaga attacked dalits in Tsundur village. Eight dalits were brutally murdered, in which two bodies were hacked into pieces,packed in gunny bags which were then thrown in the Tungabhadra drain.
A charge sheet was filed against 219 people under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. It was the first time in history a special court was formed. The Trial court convicted 21 accused and sentenced 35 accused for imprisonment for 1 year.
An appeal was filed against the Trial Court judgment in the AP High Court which pronounced the judgment releasing the 21, who were earlier convicted, on April 22, 2014. The state has filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court. Since the judgment was pronounced, activists across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are protesting it, asking who killed the eight dalits if none were found guilty?