According to a report by SouthFirst, a Dalit family from Karnataka which faced caste atrocities in recent times, joined the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra and walked with Rahul Gandhi. The family joined the foot march on Valmiki Jayanti, a day celebrating saint Valmiki, an icon revered by the oppressed classes in general and the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in particular.
On Sunday, Congress’ Bharat Jodo yatra was in its 32nd day and had completed over 700 Kms of 3500 Kms it intends to cover. A Dalit family from Karnataka’s Kolar, which had faced a fine of Rs 60,000 after their teen son touched a village deity, joined the grand old party’s yatra and walked with Rahul Gandhi.
Talking to the SouthFirst, Ms Shobha, the mother of the teen boy who had been assaulted by upper-caste Hindus said that she was elated to meet Rahul Gandhi.
“He consoled me and my family. Rahul Gandhi told me and my son that he knew about the injustice that had happened to us. He told me that I have nothing to worry about he will always stand by my family,” Shobha told SouthFirst.
Initially, she was reluctant to travel all the way from Ullerahalli in Kolar to Chikkanayakanahalli in Tumakuru, Ms Shobha told the news website.
Last month, after their son helped save a deity from falling off during a procession, the Dalit family was fined ₹60,000 and threatened with banishment.
Subsequently, in solidarity with the family, Dalit rights activists put up a show of assertion in the village.
Earlier, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi had met mother and sister of slain journalist Gauri Lankesh. They both walked along with Gandhi for a short distance.
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