The Visakha District Dalit Unity Forum (VDDUF) representatives have called for the disqualification of the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) MLC, Thota Trimurthulu, from the upcoming elections, as he has been convicted in the SC and ST court, in Visakhapatnam, for being the prime accused in the historical Dalit youths tonsure case from 1996. The VDDUF convener, Boosi Venkata Rao, in a press conference on Wednesday, stated that Thrimurthulu’s crimes have been established under various sections. Based on the severity of these crimes, he could have faced up to 20 years in prison. The court’s ruling, on 18 April 2024, however, confirmed that Trimurthulu, along with the other accused persons, would face 18 months in prison and a fine of Rs 42,000.
Rao criticized the verdict, alleging that it favoured the accused, and called for its reassessment. He affirmed that the VDDUF would challenge the verdict in the High Court. He also accused the YSRCP of awarding tickets to such criminals, thereby disrespecting the SC and ST communities.
S Sudhakar, the co-convenor of VDDUF, claimed that numerous atrocities against SC and ST people have occurred during the YSRCP’s rule. Sudhakar declared that the Dalits would ensure Thota Thrimurthulu’s defeat, he said.
The forum leaders expressed that Dalit associations are protesting to prevent assaults on Dalits. They demanded that the government should disqualify the MLC from the elections. The meeting was attended by VDDUF representatives Omkar, K Chinna Rao, Trinadh, Rajendra Prasad, Eswara Rao, and Prasad.
A YSRCP MLC, Thota Trimurthulu is the present MLA candidate for Mandapeta region. In 1996, he was an independent MLA of Ramachandrapuram, when he allegedly tonsured two Dalit youths and tortured three others, prompting outrage in the Dalit community. Trimurthulu was elected as an MLA from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1999 and 2014. Joining the YSRCP in 2019, he became an MLC.
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