MYSURU: Even in the 75th year of Independence, incidents of social ostracism and boycott still prevail in the rural belt. An incident reported at a village in Chamarajanagar district is testimony to this. According to a complaint, in 2018, Govinda Shetty, a resident of Kunagalli village near Kollegal, of the Uppara community married his girlfriend Shwetha, who is from a scheduled caste from Hoovinakoppalu village in Mandya district. The village leaders, on getting to know about the inter-caste marriage, had in the same year imposed a fine of Rs 1.25 lakh on the family and even barred them from entering the village.
The couple did not return home and stayed in Malavalli, and earned their livelihood. However, as Shetty’s mother fell ill, the couple came to Kunagalli, which irked the village leaders, who imposed another fine of Rs 3 lakh on the couple. They also instructed them to pay it before March 3.
However, this time, the couple lodged a complaint at the DYSP office and this enraged the leaders further, who increased the fine amount to Rs 6 lakh and instructed all the villagers not to talk to them or provide them any essentials from the shops in the village.
Following this complaint, Mamballi police booked a case against 15 persons. When the police questioned the accused, they denied and said that no such fine was imposed and claimed that Shetty’s family members had themselves ostracised the couple. However, the police have taken up the case and are probing the matter.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Shetty alleged that his community members have not lifted the social boycott and they are buying groceries from shops owned by members of other communities. “What mistake have I committed by marrying a girl from outside my caste,” he asked.