Family in Karnataka ostracised for not ‘donating’ land to temple

HALIYAL (UTTARA KANNADA): A family in Neeralgi village near Haliyal in Uttara Kannada district has been paying a very heavy price for refusing to ‘donate’ their one acre land to a local temple. The family has been ostracised for the past five years and whoever gets in touch with them are also targeted.

Yallari Maznappa Kadam had bought one acre of land with his hard earned money in 2012 by paying Rs 16,000. He had planted mango trees in the land with the hope of securing his family’s future.

However, in 2017, the ‘panch’ (seniors in the village) told him to donate the land to the temple. The land falls along the path of a car procession which is taken out by the temple authorities annually. “They don’t want to buy the land. They want it free of cost,’ Kadam told The New Indian Express.

The matter took a serious turn when the panch started pressuring him. When he did not budge, Kadam, his wife Yelavva and sons Mahesh and Manjunath were ostracised. The matter did not stop here. “We gave a written complaint to the police, but no action was taken. The police did not even register a case,” said Kadam.

Things became worse when people who spoke to them, helped them or met them were also ostracised.
“We even met MLA RV Deshpande and the then MLC SL Ghotnekar. They refused to look into the matter and said that it should be resolved within the village,” said Kadam. Kadam’s family is banned from availing services of blacksmiths and carpenters in the village. They are also not allowed to buy groceries in the village and are forced to go to Haliyal for it. 

Officials will investigate matter: DC

“If there is a death, we do not get Sidgi (vehicle used for community cremation). The services of Mirashis (local priests belonging to Kunabi community) is also denied to us,” said Gangavva, a relative of Kadam, who was also boycotted for speaking to the ostracised family.  “One of my close relatives died some time ago. Nobody came for the cremation due to this ban,” said a relative of Kadam. When contacted, Prabhuling Kavalikatti, deputy commissioner, Uttara Kannada district, said, “I am not aware of this. I will look into it. Our officials will visit the village and investigate the matter. We will ensure that they start living a dignified life.”