Karnataka Police Face Scrutiny Over Caste Discrimination Complaint

Bengaluru – The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (ST Commission) has issued notices to Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Mohan and Hubballi-Dharwad Superintendent of Police (SP) Gopala Byakod for failing to register a First Information Report (FIR) against Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti. The notice follows a complaint lodged by Arun Hirehala, a Dharwad resident, who alleges that Horatti misused his position for personal gain.

Hirehala’s complaint centers around the registration of the Sarvodaya Shikshana Trust in Dharwad. He claims that Horatti, knowing R. N. Pujar to be a member of a Scheduled Tribe, used his influence as an elected representative in 2009 to register the trust in his own name. This act, the complaint alleges, is illegal and has resulted in the economic exclusion of Scheduled Tribes from the trust's benefits, violating their rights under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution.

While an FIR was filed against Horatti and five others in January 2022 following a separate complaint by the Akhila Karnataka Valmiki Nayaka Mahasabha, this case relates to a dispute over the trust's management. The Mahasabha alleges that Horatti's followers assaulted members of their organization who were conducting inspections at Dharwad schools, hurling casteist remarks and damaging their car.

The incident sparked outrage, leading to demands from Members of the Legislative Council for the suspension of the Dharwad district Superintendent of Police and Police Inspector. The Karnataka Police Department suspended Sridhar Satare, a police inspector at Dharwad Rural Police Station, for filing the FIR against Horatti.

Horatti, an eight-time MLC and BJP leader, is facing scrutiny from both the ST Commission and the Karnataka Police Department in connection with these separate incidents. The ST Commission has ordered DGP Mohan and SP Byakod to appear before it on December 12.