VDC orders social boycott of 300 families in Nizamabad, HC summons panel chief

HYDERABAD: Adjudicating an incident of social boycott of 300 Mudiraj families, comprising 1,100 persons, by the village development committee (VDC) of Ramannapet inVelpur mandal, Nizamabad district, the Telangana High Court directed the committee chairman, Peerla Suresh Kumar, to appear before it on July 3 and explain the situation.

Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy said that the court wanted to go in depth into the incident. The court questioned the legal sanctity and the powers of the VDC to issue such orders.

Some of those who have been excommunicated since April approached the High Court, seeking directions to implement provisions of the Prevention of Social Disabilities Act (21 of 1957) against the VDC.

The committee members contended that some members from the Mudiraj community were not allowing villagers inside the Peddamma temple in the village. They have also constructed a compound wall around the temple in order to prevent the entry of locals.

The petitioners maintained that they had built the Peddamma temple on nearly five acres of land that was assigned to them decades back. The compound wall has been constructed to thwart attempts by land grabbers to take illegal possession.

They said that the VDC wanted them to keep the temple gate open so that they could dump sand there. The committee members have also set up a belt shop close to the temple, the petitioners said.