52 Dalits, tribals 'ensalved' in Karnataka, Congress-JDS govt busy with cabinet expansion: Amit Shah

Citing a media report, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday expressed shock over 52 people from Dalit and tribal communities being allegedly "enslaved" in Karnataka and said the Congress-JD(S) government in the state was "busy with cabinet expansion".

He called on his party workers to help those in distress.

Shah's remarks came on the day when the much-awaited expansion and reshuffle of the six-month-old HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition Cabinet in Karnataka is to be carried out Saturday evening. Two ministers -- Ramesh Jarkiholi (Municipal Administration) and R Shankar (Forest and Environment) -- are likely to be dropped, official sources said. According to a statement issued by the office of Congress Legislature Party Leader Siddaramaiah, Satish Jarkiholi, MB Patil, CS Shivalli, MTB Nagaraj, E Tukaram, PT Parameshwar Naik, Rahim Khan and RB Thimmapur would be inducted into the ministry.

"Shocking that members from Dalit & Tribal communities were enslaved and made to suffer in the most inhuman conditions, but the Congress-JDS govt is busy with cabinet expansion! People are watching. I urge our karyakartas to help the people in distress," Shah said in a tweet. 

The report by News 18 said there were 52 people from the two communities, including 16 women and four children, were "enslaved" in a heavily guarded, small shed and forced to work as labourers for 19 hours a day without wages for 3 years. 

Protests by these people were met with beatings and women being sexually harassed, it said. 

The police conducted raids in Hassan area of Karnataka last Sunday after receiving information about the bonded labour ring following the escape of a man. The police found that the victims, including two six-year-old boys and a 62-year-old man, had lived alongside each other in inhuman conditions. 

(With PTI inputs)