Days after her Dalit husband Pranay was murdered for marrying her, a caste Hindu, 21-year-old Amrutha Varshini, has been subjected to harassment on social media. This after the Telangana government offered Amrutha compensation of Rs 8 lakh under relevant provisions for the Scheduled Caste and also promised her a two-bedroom flat.
Two days ago, Telangana SC Development Minister G Jagadish Reddy visited Pranay’s residence in Muthireddy Kunta, Miryalaguda and promised five-acres agricultural land, double-bedroom house and also gave a cheque of Rs 8 lakh. But the offer of compensation hasn’t gone down with many, who not only questioned the decision but harassed and abused Amrutha on social media platforms.
“I have been receiving a lot of hate messages asking for what reason I deserve the money or the house. Besides, receiving hate messages personally, I have also come across hate messages on Facebook and Instagram,” Amrutha told TNM.
Reiterating that her only demand is that Pranay get justice, she added, “I didn’t approach anyone and ask anything. I never aspired to become an MLA, nor asked for money or double-bedroom. I have only one demand all the accused in Pranay’s murder should be sentenced to death.”
Apart from questioning why Amrutha deserved those ‘perks’, several resorted to casteist bigotry by questioning Pranay’s Dalit identity while justifying the murder and hailing Maruthi Rao, Amrutha’s father and the prime accused in the case. They claim that Maruthi killed Pranay out of “parental love,” which TNM reported earlier.
Pranay’s father Balaswamy said, “We don’t require all this compensation. We are well-off. I have a house and also agricultural land. I am already an employee, and my daughter-in-law has no intent of working. We want to donate the money we received to some orphanage or start a trust.”
“Our only demand and struggle is: justice for our Pranay. We demand that all those involved in his murder should be given harsh punishment.”
Amrutha said that if the cyber bullying continues, she will soon approach the police.
On September 14, Pranay, a 24-year-old was killed in Miryalaguda, Nalgonda district in broad daylight allegedly by an assailant, Subash Sharma, hired by Amrutha’s father Maruthi Rao. Maruthi Rao opposed their marriage as Pranay was a Mala, while his family belonged to the Komati community (upper caste).