CPIML Statement on the Incident of Rioting in Hulihyder, Koppal District
The CPI(ML) Liberation condemns the incident of rioting on 11 August 2022 led by a feudal strongman, in Hulihyder village, Kanakagiri taluk of Koppal District, which resulted in the death of two persons, Sri. Pashavali and Sri. Yankappa Talwar, and grievous injury to Sri. Dharmajja, who is presently battling for his life. This unfortunate incident was avoidable had the District Administration and the police officers initiated appropriate, necessary and quick actions based on the repeated representations made by the Dalit and other communities in regard to the threats they were facing since the beginning of this month.
The progressive and democratic forces in the village were making requests to the state authorities to ensure the maintenance of peace and law & order in the village. However, the failure of the District Administration and the police to act has resulted in the loss of life and property in the village. We urge that necessary steps be initiated to ensure peace, justice and reconciliation in Hulihyder village.
The violence broke out in the morning of 11.08.2022 at 7.30 AM near the Asar Khan masjid. A Muslim youth went near the bus stand to buy bananas and flowers for the rituals, when he was assaulted by Sidramesha and 6 others. The Muslim boy informed of this assault to the community, and his relatives went to enquire as to why the boy was beaten up for no reason. By this time, about 50 persons belonging to the dominant Nayak community led by lumpen elements, Pampapati and Yankappa Talawara had gathered along with a tractor full of stones, logs, iron rods and other dangerous weapons, who then launched an attack against the Muslim and Dalit community. In this violence two persons were killed - Pashavali (aged 26 years belonging to the Muslim community) and Yankappa Talavara (aged 55 years belonging to the Nayak community). Immediately after the violence broke out, an attempt was made to build a false narrative attributing the violence to an inter-faith marriage, but this claim stands completely debunked in the light of the facts.
By all indications it is clear that the intention was to take Sannahanumantha’s life, but he escaped. Instead Dharmanna, Sannahanumantha’s nephew, was seriously assaulted and is even now battling for his life in hospital.
Hulihyder village in Kanakagiri taluk, Koppal district, Karnataka has been a key centre of feudal domination of Hanumesh Nayak belonging to the dominant Nayaka community. The economically weaker sections of this community as also the other communities including Dalits, Muslims, Kurubas (OBC) and Lingayats (OBC) have been at the mercy of the feudal domination having no say in the functioning of the Gram Panchayat or any activities in the village. The opposition to this was being built by Sanna Hanumathappa, CPIML Liberation State Committee member and Koppal district Secretary.
A few years ago an RTI activist Yallalinga was murdered by Hanumesh Nayak and his brother. This incident made state-wide news since the police initially passed it off as a suicide and it was only after Sanna Hanumathappa organised progressive and Dalit organisations to take up this issue that the police were compelled to arrest Hanumesh Nayak and his henchmen. At that time a massive protest of few thousand people was organised in the form of “Hulihyder chalo”. This had irked Hanumesh Nayak, Ramesh Nayak and other feudal elements of the Nayak community who have been targeting Sannahanumanthappa ever since. That Sannahanumanthappa belongs to the Dalit community and spearheading the fight against these feudal elements was the major factor.
Moreover, he was also targeted since he was also fighting corruption in gram panchayat and other departments. It is alleged that Hanumesh Nayak, who felt that Sannahanumantha was an obstruction, had planned to attack him on 11 August.
Over the past month the situation in the village was tense after some communities demanded that the statues of Buddha, Basavanna and Ambedkar should also be installed along with a proposed statue of Valmiki opposite the Gram Panchayat office. The district administration and police held two peace meetings to resolve this issue, but Hanumesh Nayak and his henchmen engaged in open threats against Sanna Hanumatha and others. This was brought to the attention of the district administration and the police, who refused to act as they were in collusion with these feudal elements.
The CPIML outrightly condemns the false implication in a criminal case and the arrest of Sri. Sannahanumantha in regard to the incidents in Hulihyder on 11 August. Sri. Sannahanumantha is a social activist belonging to the Madiga community and is the Koppal District Secretary of CPIML. He has been standing up for the rights and dignity of the oppressed sections of society and is vocal against the corruption within the gram panchayat. He is also fighting for land, housing, educational and legal rights of the Dalit and other oppressed communities, and also played an important role in the fight for justice for Sri. Yallalinga who was murdered in 2015 for exposing irregularities in NREGA in Hulihyder village. Recently, he brought to the attention of the district administration and the police, the problems in Hulihyder village and sought for them to ensure peace and harmony. However, we are witnessing a concerted effort to vilify, persecute and victimise him by foisting false cases against him.
CPIML has demanded demanded from the state administration that -
- Charges against Sri. Sannahanumantha and others who have been falsely implicated in the case be dropped
- Due compensation must be provided to the families of Sri. Pashavali and Sri. Yankappa Talwar who lost their lives in the incident
- Complete medical expenses for Sri. Dharmajja who is battling for his life must be borne by the district administration.
- District administration should immediately form Peace Committee and restore normalcy in the village.
- A judicial inquiry must be conducted into the violence and the culprits must be brought to justice
Falsely implicating Sri. Sannahanumantha is an attempt to suppress people’s movement against the dominant forces in the Hulihyder village. We urge all left, progressive and democratic forces to raise their voices against this vicious caste and communal conflicts that we are witnessing in Karnataka.
– CPIML Karnataka State Committee
