Back in the day, the management of Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Limited (VISL) in Bhadravathi in Shivamogga district offered coffee to its employees during work-shift breaks. However, for the workers belonging to the Scheduled Castes, a separate container was placed. They were not allowed to touch the container. Instead, they had to wait for someone from the ‘upper’ caste to pour coffee into their individual cups.
For years, this discrimination continued in the factory. A few employees raised their voices against the untouchability practices on the factory campus. Professor B. Krishnappa, who was teaching at Bhadra College in the town, was the guiding force behind the protesting employees. It was under his leadership, Dalita Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) -- that went on to play a significant role in shaping Karnataka’s political and cultural sensibilities -- took shape in 1974 with its office in the Old Town of Bhadravathi.
