MYSURU: After decades of struggle, a family belonging to the backward Medar community in Shankar Nagar, Chamarajnagar, which had faced social exclusion ever since their mother eloped with a relative, has reason to rejoice. The boycott of the family has finally ended.
After The New Indian Express reported on Saturday about the plight of the family, Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge took note of it and directed the tahsildar, police and social welfare department officers to visit the Medar Colony and convince the community.
Shivamma, a resident of the colony, left her family 30 years ago and ever since, her husband Venkataramanappa and their children had to suffer social exclusion. The community leaders decided that no one would speak to them nor would they be allowed to attend any social gathering. They were not even allowed to offer puja at the local temple. The family members ran from pillar to post for justice, but to no avail.
Some years after Venkataramanappa’s death, the couple’s second son Nagendra paid a fine of `20,000 to the community leaders with a plea to lift the boycott on his family. However, the other son Puttaswamy, who works as a mason, continued to feel the heat as he could not pay `40,000 that was demanded from him.
On Saturday, the officials held a meeting with the community leaders and other residents of the colony at Siddappaji temple and warned the residents of legal action for imposing the boycott. They also warned that the temple will be taken over if Puttaswamy’s family is not allowed to offer prayers or use the community hall.
The community members have sought 10 days’ time to resolve the issue and assured the officials that Puttaswamy will be allowed to offer puja on Friday and also utilise the community hall.
An elated Puttaswamy could not thank the officials enough for ensuring justice to him and his family. He told them that they had in fact decided to end their lives as they could no longer put up with the torment. His wife Geetha too said said she was happy now that she can attend social gatherings like weddings for the first time since her marriage.