New Delhi: In another case of explicit caste discrimination, a Dalit BJP MP in Karnataka was prevented from entering the Golla (Yadavs) area of a village in Tumakauru district on Monday. Authorities have ordered an inquiry into the incident.

On Monday evening, Chitradurga MP A. Narayanaswamy went to Pemmanahalli village, which falls under his Lok Sabha constituency, for some development work with a video of the conversation surfacing. When the MP approached the Yadava settlement, some people asked him not to enter because of his caste (Madiga) and said it was against their traditions.

According to reports, this is not the first time that a Dalit public representative has not been allowed to enter the hatti (settlement).

Speaking to local news channels, Narayanaswamy said he was 'pained' that such practices continued even today. "I have worked for over 20 years and I have never experienced this. I do not see people through the lens of caste. Neither do I have it in my mind that I am from a particular caste," he told The News Minute.

Narayanaswamy is a four-time Karnataka MLA and was the chief whip of the BJP's Karnataka legislative party. He also served as a cabinet minister in the Karnataka government.

Narayanaswamy said his efforts to convince those who prevented his entry were in vain. He told the residents that he had come to their settlement for development work and not for political reasons. "Some among them wanted me to go in, but I moved away with the intention that there should not be any differences between the people within the community leading to clashes," the MP said.

"But, in the days to come I will certainly work towards eradicating such superstitious beliefs in the community and for their development," he added.

Some Yadavas told local media that according to their traditions, Dalits cannot enter their community settlement. Any 'violation' of the tradition would result in "something bad" happening, they claimed.

While another villager admitted that the MP had come for a good reason, he said certain "traditions" could not be violated.

Also Read: The Ugly Reality of Caste Violence and Discrimination in Urban India

Speaking to The News Minute, Narayanaswamy said he was visiting government schools and hospitals in the Pavagada region with representatives from private companies Biocon and Narayana Hrudalaya. "[The] plan was to urge these two companies to invest in developing infrastructure and facilities in this area," he said.

"I was adamant that they (residents) should stop this practice but they insisted that the priests in the village did not allow any previous MLAs or MPs from my community to enter the village," the MP said.

Karnataka industries minister and senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar on Tuesday condemned the incident. According to police, the local tahsildar, the social welfare department and police have been asked to visit the village and hold an inquiry into the denial of entry for the MP. Tumakauru deputy commissioner K. Rakesh Kumar said meetings will be held in the village to sensitise the locals.

"I will have to get the report on what was the reason for their (people) conduct. If we get to know who prevented his entry, we can book a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," he told reporters.

Over the past few months, there have been several instances of casteism against Dalit public representatives. In July, Kerala Youth Congress members sprinkled cow urine and dung to 'purify' a venue where Geetha Gopi, a Dalit MLA from the CPI(M) had protested. Earlier this month, Vundavelli Sridevi, a YSR Congress MLA, faced casteist abuse when she visited a Ganesh pandal in Andhra Pradesh. Four people, apparently from the opposition Telugu Desam Party, were arrested in the case.

(With PTI inputs)

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