Collector leads Dalits into temple

Dalits offering worship at
Sri 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)

Dalits enter TN temple first time in 100 yrs

NAGAPATTINAM: For the first time in a hundred years, dalits of Chettipulam village stepped inside the local Shiva temple on Tuesday, in a historic moment brought about by government and political intervention.

Escorted by revenue and police officers, nearly 70 dalits of the village situated near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district entered the century-old Kamatchi Amman Sametha Ekambareswarar Temple at around 11 am and offered prayers for 25 minutes. Dressed in their best, women had brought flowers and other offerings. A group of non-dalits, including panchayat president V Manimaran, also accompanied the dalits. District collector C Munianathan himself distributed prasadam' to the dalits after the prayers.

"It is a historic day for us. For decades, we were barred from entering the temple. All we could do for generations was to stand 10 feet away from the temple entrance and offer prayers," said Nandan alias N Natarajan, a dalit labourer. He and other dalits were greeted by non-dalits inside the temple.

The dalits here had earlier made three attempts to enter the temple. On September 30, they found it locked. The next day they were arrested when they tried to break the lock. On October 14, when Nagapattinam revenue divisional officer Rajendran led the dalits towards the temple, violence broke out as non-dalits started pelting stones. Police fired warning shots in the air and resorted to a lathicharge. The CPI(M), spearheading the agitation, had warned of another attempt on November 2 if the government failed to ensure entry of the dalits into the temple by October 30.

A tripartite meeting involving non-dalits, dalits and government officials was held on Monday. It was decided there that the dalits would be taken into the temple on Tuesday.

A large of posse of police personnel was deployed in the village. On Tuesday morning, a police vehicle picked up dalits from their doorsteps and took them to the temple. Once everybody gathered in front of the temple, the collector ushered them in. Thanjavur range DIG Abhay Kumar Singh and SPs of Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur were also present.

"The dalits need not worry about their safety in the village. They can enter the temple and offer prayers without fear. The district administration will ensure that they are not stopped from entering the temple," said Munianathan. Police would be stationed in the village for a few more days, he said.

Meanwhile in Chennai, the CPI(M) took out a rally to highlight the rights of dalits and tribals. Later, they met chief minister M Karunanidhi and handed over a 14-point charter of demands pertaining to the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
(Times of India)

“Only democratic movements will secure rights of oppressed”

CHENNAI: Democratic movements, and not exclusive Dalit organisations, will secure the rights of the oppressed people in the country, said P. Sampath, organiser, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front, on Tuesday.

Addressing a huge rally taken out by his movement and various Dalit and tribal organisations in the city, Mr. Sampath said the government was forced to announce that it would fully mechanise the cleaning operations of underground sewage canals in all municipal corporations after the protest rally was planned.

He along with CPI(M) Polit Bureau member K.Varadarajan, State secretary N. Varadarajan, party legislature party leader K.Balabharathi and many others met Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi and submitted a memorandum. He said Mr.Karunanidhi himself had acknowledged the demands and agreed to take action to implement them.

“We hope that the government will keep its promise. Otherwise, we will mobilise people in every village and the government will be held responsible for our action, said Mr. Sampath.

K.Varadarajan said though those claiming to be the inheritors of the legacy of Periyar and Anna were ruling the State, they were not able to eradicate untouchability. N. Varadarajan said his party would continue to fight against untouchability and other social evils.

He said the government should abolish the posts of Vettiyans and re-designate them as graveyard assistants, by making them employees of local bodies.

Besides demanding 19 per cent reservation for Dalits in employment and education, the memorandum urged the State government to appoint a commission, headed by a High Court judge, to study the socio-economic conditions of tribals in the State.

The leaders demanded a total ban on employing humans in cleaning operations of sewage canals. “It should fill all the backlog vacancies in the various departments of the State government,” the memorandum said.

Another demand was the constitution of untouchability eradication committees at the district and state level to ensure Dalits the right to worship in temples and other civil rights.

Most of the mass organisations of the CPI(M), including the CITU and Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association, took part in the rally.

(Courtesy : The Hindu, Photos : Gavaskar, Theekathir)