Dalits offering worship atSri Kamakshi Amman Sametha Ekambareswarar Temple,
Chettipulam, near Vedaranyam on Tuesday
NAGAPATTINAM: C Munianathan, District Collector, led Dalits into Sri Ekambareshwarar Temple at Chettipulam near Vedaranyam on Tuesday, putting an end to the alleged discrimination and law and order problems in the village.
The CPM had alleged that Dalits were not allowed inside the temple by the villagers.
The party had organised temple entry agitations twice this month (on October 1 and 14).
On October 1, the temple remained locked.
On October 14, the village witnessed violence, lathicharge and police firing when the vehicles in which Dalits, accompanied by police and revenue officials were proceeding to the temple, were attacked by a mob.
Following the violence, the Collector had organised a peace talk with members of all communities of the village. He had conveyed that any discrimination on the basis of caste will invite severe punishment. He also conveyed that he would personally lead the Dalits into the temple. The villagers assured their cooperation to the collector.
On Tuesday morning, Munianathan, accompanied by top police officials including Abhay Kumar Singh, Thanjavur DIG, Maheshwar Dayal, Nagai SP, Praveen Kumar Abinabu, Tiruvarur SP, Annadurai, DRO, Rajendran, RDO, Thennarasu, HR and CE Assistant Commissioner and others, visited the village.
About 75 Dalits went inside the temple with pooja articles. Munianathan himself distributed prasadam to all the Dalits. He said police security would be continued at the temple for some more time to prevent any untoward incidents.
Even after death, they remain untouchable
MADURAI: A shocking case of untouchability after death comes from M Duraisamipuram under Maraneri police limits in Sivakasi block of Virudhunagar district.
The burial ground in the village had been built under the Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam (AGAMT). But the authorities had taken care to earmark a section of the cemetery as that of ‘Parayar’ while another area has been allotted for others (‘Idharars’).
M Duraisamipuram panchayat covers the villages of Ammapatti, Kottaimdeu and Idayankulam.
The population comprises 450 families of Yadavas, about 250 of Nayakkars while the Dalits and others number about 350 families.
About two months ago, it was decided to build a burial ground under the AGAMT and work is in progress at the cemetery. It is being built in three sections - two for caste Hindus and the other for Dalits.
What has irked the Dalits in the village is the bold lettering ‘Parayar Mayanam’ (the cemetery of Parayars). The section for the other communities bears the legend ‘Idhara Mayanam’.
There have been many agitations against segregating a burial ground on the basis of caste.
This is also said to be an offence under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. But the M Duraisamipuram panchayat authorities are either ignorant of the rules or have deliberately done this to win the support of the caste Hindus, observers say.
The Dalits of the village told this correspondent that this was the height of discrimination against them by the panchayat.
They said that at least the burial ground should be common to everyone and there should be no discrimination after death.
When this was brought to the notice of the NGO Evidence, its Director A Kadir contacted the panchayat president, Ponnulakshmi and sought her explanation.
She said that this had not been brought to her notice and may be the contractors had done this. He offered to change the lettering as ‘Adhi Dravidar Mayanam’. It was pointed out to her that burial grounds should be not segregated on the basis of caste. Whether she will make amends remains to be seen.
CPM leaders brief MK on ground reality
CHENNAI: A 10-member delegation led by State CPM secretary N Varadharajan on Tuesday met CM M Karunanidhi at the Secretariat and raised a host of issues being faced by the Dalits in the State, which included prevention of entry into temples, manual cleaning of drainages, backlog of vacancies in the government to be filled up, two-glass system at tea shops prevailing in many parts of the State and strict implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act and Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Answering queries of reporters after meeting the CM, Varadharajan said the Chief Minister had promised them that he would look into their demands.
He recalled how G Latha, MLA from Gudiyatham Assembly constituency, was roughed by the police when she had led the Dalits to a temple at Chettipulam village in Villupuram district on September 30. All those arrested by the police on that day should be freed without any further delay, he urged.
K Varadharajan, politburo member of the CPM, said a separate commission should be formed to look into the issues being faced by Dalits and a time-limit should be set for completing the study of socioeconomic conditions of the Dalits and tribals. The Tiruvallur district administration had given a report about the acquisition of 250 acres of land by Justice Dinakaran and the State government should not give any report contrary to that. He said the Chief Minister had agreed to that.
In the memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front’s State organiser P Sampath said the government should completely stop using human beings for cleaning the underground drainages as well as cleaning excreta.
N Varadarajan warned of more agitations if the DMK government did not take steps to eradicate untouchability in the State.
(courtesy : Indian Express)
The CPM had alleged that Dalits were not allowed inside the temple by the villagers.
The party had organised temple entry agitations twice this month (on October 1 and 14).
On October 1, the temple remained locked.
On October 14, the village witnessed violence, lathicharge and police firing when the vehicles in which Dalits, accompanied by police and revenue officials were proceeding to the temple, were attacked by a mob.
Following the violence, the Collector had organised a peace talk with members of all communities of the village. He had conveyed that any discrimination on the basis of caste will invite severe punishment. He also conveyed that he would personally lead the Dalits into the temple. The villagers assured their cooperation to the collector.
On Tuesday morning, Munianathan, accompanied by top police officials including Abhay Kumar Singh, Thanjavur DIG, Maheshwar Dayal, Nagai SP, Praveen Kumar Abinabu, Tiruvarur SP, Annadurai, DRO, Rajendran, RDO, Thennarasu, HR and CE Assistant Commissioner and others, visited the village.
About 75 Dalits went inside the temple with pooja articles. Munianathan himself distributed prasadam to all the Dalits. He said police security would be continued at the temple for some more time to prevent any untoward incidents.
Even after death, they remain untouchable
MADURAI: A shocking case of untouchability after death comes from M Duraisamipuram under Maraneri police limits in Sivakasi block of Virudhunagar district.
The burial ground in the village had been built under the Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam (AGAMT). But the authorities had taken care to earmark a section of the cemetery as that of ‘Parayar’ while another area has been allotted for others (‘Idharars’).
M Duraisamipuram panchayat covers the villages of Ammapatti, Kottaimdeu and Idayankulam.
The population comprises 450 families of Yadavas, about 250 of Nayakkars while the Dalits and others number about 350 families.
About two months ago, it was decided to build a burial ground under the AGAMT and work is in progress at the cemetery. It is being built in three sections - two for caste Hindus and the other for Dalits.
What has irked the Dalits in the village is the bold lettering ‘Parayar Mayanam’ (the cemetery of Parayars). The section for the other communities bears the legend ‘Idhara Mayanam’.
There have been many agitations against segregating a burial ground on the basis of caste.
This is also said to be an offence under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. But the M Duraisamipuram panchayat authorities are either ignorant of the rules or have deliberately done this to win the support of the caste Hindus, observers say.
The Dalits of the village told this correspondent that this was the height of discrimination against them by the panchayat.
They said that at least the burial ground should be common to everyone and there should be no discrimination after death.
When this was brought to the notice of the NGO Evidence, its Director A Kadir contacted the panchayat president, Ponnulakshmi and sought her explanation.
She said that this had not been brought to her notice and may be the contractors had done this. He offered to change the lettering as ‘Adhi Dravidar Mayanam’. It was pointed out to her that burial grounds should be not segregated on the basis of caste. Whether she will make amends remains to be seen.
CPM leaders brief MK on ground reality
CHENNAI: A 10-member delegation led by State CPM secretary N Varadharajan on Tuesday met CM M Karunanidhi at the Secretariat and raised a host of issues being faced by the Dalits in the State, which included prevention of entry into temples, manual cleaning of drainages, backlog of vacancies in the government to be filled up, two-glass system at tea shops prevailing in many parts of the State and strict implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act and Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Answering queries of reporters after meeting the CM, Varadharajan said the Chief Minister had promised them that he would look into their demands.
He recalled how G Latha, MLA from Gudiyatham Assembly constituency, was roughed by the police when she had led the Dalits to a temple at Chettipulam village in Villupuram district on September 30. All those arrested by the police on that day should be freed without any further delay, he urged.
K Varadharajan, politburo member of the CPM, said a separate commission should be formed to look into the issues being faced by Dalits and a time-limit should be set for completing the study of socioeconomic conditions of the Dalits and tribals. The Tiruvallur district administration had given a report about the acquisition of 250 acres of land by Justice Dinakaran and the State government should not give any report contrary to that. He said the Chief Minister had agreed to that.
In the memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front’s State organiser P Sampath said the government should completely stop using human beings for cleaning the underground drainages as well as cleaning excreta.
N Varadarajan warned of more agitations if the DMK government did not take steps to eradicate untouchability in the State.
(courtesy : Indian Express)
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