Metro India News | NIRMAL

Tensions continue to rise in Raalla Bhorigam, a village in Mudhole Mandal of Nirmal district, following the desecration and forcible removal of a Gautama Buddha statue installed by members of the Mala community. Dalit, Bahujan, and Buddhist organizations have strongly condemned the incident and demanded that the government immediately reinstall the statue at its original location. This attack has sparked widespread outrage and calls for justice based on caste rights.

In response, a Round Table Meeting was held on Monday at the TNGO Bhavan in Nirmal town, chaired by Kuntolla Venkata Swamy, the state vice-president of the Ambedkar Yuvajana Sangham. The meeting united leaders from over a dozen Dalit and Bahujan rights organizations. Among the prominent attendees was Abhinav Bura, state general secretary of the Kula Nirmoolana Porata Samiti (KNPS), who had visited Raalla Bhorigam on May 17 to meet victims and collect firsthand accounts of the attack.

Bura Abhinav revealed that the attack was premeditated and orchestrated by Erra Murali, husband of the village sarpanch, along with members of the local Village Development Committee (VDC). The Mala community, which had peacefully installed the Buddha statue in the upper part of the village, faced violent opposition from dominant caste members. The attackers claimed Dalits had no right to that area, forcibly removed the statue, and physically assaulted those who resisted.

Victim testimonies shared at the meeting exposed horrific acts of violence and humiliation. Several Dalit women were assaulted; their clothes were torn, and they were publicly humiliated. One woman was beaten with sticks and fell unconscious, while others were kicked while lying on the ground.

The Round Table Meeting passed several strong resolutions. The foremost demand was that government authorities reinstall the Buddha statue at its original site by May 30. If the government failed to act, the Dalit-Bahujan-Buddhist organizations pledged to reinstall the statue themselves on that date. The leaders also called for the immediate arrest of Erra Murali and others responsible for the violence.

They demanded the withdrawal of false cases filed against Dalit victims and called for a thorough investigation under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Protection for the victims was also emphasized, as they remain vulnerable to further attacks.

The leaders underscored that the campaign was not merely about the statue but represented a broader struggle for Dalit dignity, religious freedom, and constitutional rights. They condemned attempts to polarize the village along communal lines by spreading false narratives such as “Buddha vs Hanuman.” The administration was urged to restore peace and harmony in Raalla Bhorigam.

The meeting concluded with a strong call for mass mobilization on May 30 under the banner “Chalo Raalla Bhorigam” if the government failed to meet the demand. Organizers appealed to democratic forces, civil society, and progressive communities to stand in solidarity with the cause.

Among the leaders who supported the movement were Shankar and Puli Kalpana (Dalit Bahujan Front), Advocate Divakar, Battula Ranjith Kumar, Bhujanga Rao Gaikwad, Konatham Muralidhar and Chakati Lakshman (SC Categorization Committee), Jade Lakshman, and many other local leaders.