Left parties condemn social boycott of Dalits at Mallam in Pithapuram constituency

The Left parties condemned the social boycott of Dalits at Mallam in Pithapuram constituency of Kakinada district. The parties also demanded that Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan visit the village and take steps to protect the Dalits.

In a statement on Monday (April 21), Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary K. Ramakrishna described the social boycott imposed by local landlords on Dalit families at Mallam as inhuman and deplorable. Not only was compensation denied to the family of the young Dalit man who died due to electrocution, but the landlords also went ahead and imposed a social boycott on the grieving family—a deeply condemnable act, he said, adding, “In a civilised society, such social evils and practices are unacceptable and shameful.”

Deputy Chief Minister and Pithapuram MLA Pawan Kalyan should respond immediately and take appropriate action. Protection must be provided to Dalits in the village, and strict measures must be taken against those who enforced the social boycott. The government must ensure that such incidents do not recur. Additionally, CPI demands that a compensation of ₹25 lakh be provided to the family of the young Dalit who died due to electrocution, he added.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist [CPI(M)] State committee secretary V. Srinivasa Rao slammed the social boycott. It is unjust that the government, under the guise of maintaining law and order, is shielding the landlords by treating the issue as a dispute between two groups without taking any action. The CPI(M) demanded that Dalits in the village be provided protection and that strict action be taken against the landlords under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for enforcing the social boycott. The government must ensure that such incidents do not repeat, he said.