Belthangady: Dalit leader Chandu L passes away

Belthangady: Chandu L (52), a prominent leader of the Dalit movement in Dakshina Kannada district and the State Organizing Secretary of the Ambedkarite Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, passed away on the night of June 19 at a hospital in Mangaluru after a brief illness.

Chandu L played a crucial role in developing the Dalit movement in Dakshina Kannada district. He served as the Vice President of the Belthangady Taluk Panchayat and was a director of the Cashew Development Corporation.

He had been receiving treatment for an illness for the past few days and passed away on Wednesday night.

Chandu L led several significant struggles in Belthangady Taluk, including the fight for land rights and the protest against the forced removal of a Dalit girl from a public dining area at the Nidle Daivasthana. He was at the forefront of numerous Dalit and social movements in the taluk and district.

He built and nurtured the BSP party in the taluk and even contested the Assembly elections. He also served as a member of the Laila Grama Panchayat. Elected as a member of the Belthangady Taluk Panchayat from the Janata Dal party, he served as the Vice President of the Taluk Panchayat.

Chandu L joined the Congress party along with former MLA Vasantha Bangera and held several significant responsibilities within the Congress party over the past two decades.

He held various positions in the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti and later identified with the Ambedkarite Dalit Sangharsh Samiti led by Maavalli Shankar. He served as its Belthangady Taluk Unit Organizer, District Organizer, Mysuru Division Organizer, and was the current State Organizing Secretary.