National Convention of Dalits - Nov 27

We are happy to inform you that the Dalit Soshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) is organising a National Convention on November 27 in New Delhi at Constitution Club Annexe. In a press meet organised in New Delhi on November 3, 2014, the Dalit Soshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) has demanded the Central Government to call a Special Session of Parliament to discuss the issues concerning the Dalits.
The Dalit Soshan Mukti Manch is a national level platform of organisations and individuals belonging to various states who have come together and have formed a National Platform of Action against Caste Discrimination and for Social Justice. The DSMM will fight against untouchability, social oppression, caste discrimination and attacks on Dalits in various states and for economic upliftment of socially oppressed sections.
These organisations are:
• Pattikajathi Kshema Samithi in Kerala,
• Tapasili Jati Samanway Samiti in Tripura,
• Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TN)
• Kula Vivaksha Vyatireka Porata Sangham in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• Dalit Utpeedan Virodhi Morcha in Himachal Pradesh,
• Karnataka Dalit Hakkagala Committee
• Jaathi Antha Sangharsh Samiti in Maharashtra
• Dalit Adhikar Manch in Haryana

And various other organisations in many states have been taking up issues of untouchability and atrocities on Dalits and waging struggles. They have been organising various activities promoting the cause of social justice. The DSMM will also include people who have been consistently raising issues of social justice.
This Platform will also join the other socially oppressed groups and work in solidarity with those who are fighting for social justice.
In this endeavour, we are seeking the support of all the democratic minded people to strengthen and galvanise the movement for social justice.
To fight social oppression and to promote unity among all Dalits and other socially oppressed sections of the society, a National Convention is being organised on November 27 in New Delhi.
This Platform will be focussing and campaigning on the following issues:
• Untouchability
The inhuman practice of untouchability is still prevalent across the country making it impossible for the sense of brotherhood to prevail among the people. The eradication of untouchability is an important step towards attaining social justice.
• Caste discrimination
Various forms of caste based discrimination are practiced in our country. Right from tea stalls in villages to higher education institutes like universities, to disallowing Dalits into temples, we find caste based discrimination on the people.
• Atrocities
Violence and atrocities on Dalits are increasing. Whenever and wherever there is an assertion by the Dalits for their rights, we see that they are being attacked. Incidents of ‘Honour’ killings are increasing across the country.

• Inequity and issues of land, wage and employment
There is a huge gap between the Dalits and other sections of the society in terms of possessing assets. A large number of Dalits are landless. They are economically exploited as a majority of them are agricultural labourers and there is discrimination in paying equal wages to Dalits.

• Safeguarding MGNREGA
The rural employment guarantee Act has provided some amount of relief for the socially oppressed groups in the villages. To an extent, it paved way for lesser dependence on the upper caste/landlord sections. Now the Government of India has decided to dilute it which is inimical to the interests of Dalits. We need to protect MGNREGA and strive to ensure that the Act is further strengthened.

• Implementation of Civil Rights
Although the Constitution grants equal civil rights to all sections of the people, we witness that the situation in practice is not so. Dalits are denied these rights at every stage of life. Still many uncivilised practices are going on against the spirit of the Constitution.
• Issues of Reservation
There are many instances where the policy of reservations is not implemented properly. The rules are being flouted. Even now, there is no legislation for providing reservations in private sector.
• Recruitment
There are many posts lying vacant in the departments. A special drive must be undertaken to fill up all backlog posts.
• Non-implementation of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan
There are many instances where the PoA Act has not been implemented and there is laxity on the part of the authorities to invoke this Act. The SCSP is also not implemented as we see that the mandated allocations are never made in the budgets. For effective implementation of SCSP a law should be enacted to make this as a statutory one.
• Issues of Dalit women
The Dalit women face the worst forms of attacks and caste violence. Gang-rapes and rapes on Dalit women are increasing.
They face the triple oppression based on caste, class and gender. This should end.
In our efforts to challenge and fight the scourge of caste and social oppression, we seek the support and participation of all sections of people who believe in equality and democracy. We appeal to all the democratic minded people to make the November 27 Convention a huge success.
Signatories
K Varadarajan (Tamil Nadu)
V Srinivas Rao (Andhra Pradesh)
Kanti Biswas (West Bengal)
K Radha Krishnan (Kerala)
G Mamatha (Telangana)
Tikender Singh Panwar (Himachal Pradesh)
Ram Avtar Sulchani (Haryana)
Brijlal Bharati (Uttar Pradesh)

An Emphatic Victory for TNUEF’s Direct Action Programme

Ganesh (Peoples Democracy)

 IN a customary way, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) conducts direct action programmes on September 30, the death anniversary day of Comrade B Srinivasa Rao, whose tireless work against untouchability and atrocities on dalits in erstwhile Thanjavur has left indelible mark.

Although the struggle against untouchability in the state goes on almost 24x7, there is an emotional touch to this direct action programme since it is attached to this great leader’s name. TNUEF takes inspiration from the past achievements that were gained by the Left movement under the leadership of Comrade B Srinivasa Rao. In fact, his unfinished agenda is being carried forward further by the TNUEF.

This year, the direct action programme was planned in seven places. Prior to this, field surveys were undertaken at the state level. Last time, the survey was conducted in 2007. Several struggles were undertaken based on the reports of that survey. In its last meeting, the state committee of the TNUEF had decided to conduct a fresh survey to analyse the latest scenario. The work of compiling these survey reports is underway. Meanwhile, some of the untouchability practices that have come out from this survey were earmarked for direct action programme.

Hundred Years Dream Comes True in Erode

IN Erode district, Ezhumathur village, for more than 100 years, dalits were not allowed to enter the Chathiswaran Temple. This was revealed during the field survey that was done by the TNUEF. As part of the direct action programme, the TNUEF had announced that dalit people will go to the temple and worship under the leadership of P Sampath, TNUEF president, K Thangavel, MLA, N Amirtham, state president of AIDWA and others.

Sensing the mood among the people and the firmness of the TNUEF, the dDistrict administration was forced to call for talks. The talks were held on September 28. The TNUEF insisted during the talks that not just the entry into the temple, the community hall that is being occupied should also be available for dalits. The administration had to concede the demands. On the same day, at 5.30 PM, dalit people from Kootapalli, Sivananda Colony, Selvan Nagar, Anna Nagar, Ponvizha Nagar and other villages walked into the temple and worshipped.

During this temple entry, K Durairaj, CPI(M) state committee member, P Mari Muthu, CPI(M) district secretary, M Annadurai, TNUEF district president, PP Palani Samy, TNUEF district secretary and others took part.  The dalit people thanked the TNUEF and the CPI(M) for having enabled the dream since hundred years to come true.

Successful Temple Entry in Tiruvannamalai

IN Tiruvannamalai district, Kalasapakkam Panchayat Union, Siruvallur village, dalits were not allowed into Narayana Perumal Temple. Also, in this village, two tumbler system in the tea stalls, denial of road to cremation ground etc existed.  As planned, the direct action programme was conducted on September 30. Hundreds of dalit people led by K Balakrishnan, MLA, K Samuel Raj, TNUEF general secretary, R Velmurugan, DYFI state secretary, had proceeded towards the temple. The casteist elements had assembled on the road that leads to the temple. 

The district administration and the police that intervened, told the leaders and the dalits that there is no denial of entry into the temple. But the leaders insisted that the people should be taken into the temple immediately. With the leaders and the people standing firm, the entry was allowed.  The seventy-year old untouchability practice was put to an end.

Right to Enter the Own Land in Dindigul

IN Dindigul district, Oddanchanthiram town, Kudalingapuram, pattas were given to 48 dalit Arunthathiyar families, 32 years back. Though the land was measured as per the area allotted to them, it was not handed over to them. Years gone, the value of the land ran into crores of rupees. Repeated petitioning by the people did not settle the issue. Hence, they decided to undertake a direct action programme under the leadership of the TNUEF. The Front has also announced that this programme would be part of the direct action day programmes that will be conducted on September 30.

The talks that were arranged prior to the action day did not yield any result. On 30th, more than a thousand people took part in the rally and the siege. It was led by  P Sampath, R Jayaraman, TNUEF treasurer, K Bala Bharathi, MLA, N Pandi, CPI(M) district secretary, K Chinna Karuppan, TNUEF district president, M R Muthu Samy, TNUEF district secretary and others. The administration held talks with the leaders and agreed to hand over the land to the dalit Arunthathiyars.

Untouchability Gate Demolished in Ooty

IN Ooty (Niligiris), Coonoor, Gandhipuram, the dalit Arunthathiyars were denied entry through the common road. A private company had put up a gate to block the way. The TNUEF saw it as an untouchability practice. Many demonstrations were held to draw the attention of the administration. They kept repeating the promises that were never fulfilled. Hence, a decision was taken to go for direct action programme under the leadership of the TNUEF and the CPI(M).

On September 30, the dalit Arunthiyars led by P Dilli Babu, MLA, U K Sivagnanam, TNUEF state secretary, R Badri, CPI(M) district secretary,  L Thiyagarajan, CITU district secretary and others proceeded towards the untouchability gate. Talks were held for four hours and no decision was forthcoming. The leaders saw it as a delaying tactic. They had informed the administration that they would demolish the gate themselves.

With this, the administration had no other alternative except to demolish the gate. Finally, the gate was broken in front of jubilant dalit people who were denied entry for the last 50 years.

“First time” hair cuts and tea in Thanjavur

IT was for the first time that dalit people could get a hair cut and tea in their village. In Thanjavur district, Orathanadu, Echankottai village, two tumbler system and denial of haircut existed for many years. Dalits had to go miles away for having a hair cut. Separate tumblers have kept them discriminated for years together. The announcement of direct action programme led by Nagai Mali, MLA, had put the administration on alert.

Timely intervention by the administration had helped to put an end to the untouchability practice. It was decided that the dalit people will be served in the common tumblers and will have hair cuts at the local saloons on September 29. Enthusiastic local dalits led by Ganesh, TNUEF state secretary,  J Rajmohan, SFI state secretary,  G Neelamegam, CPI(M) district secretary, Abhi Mannan, TNUEF district president, Chinnai Pandian, TNUEF district secretary, proceeded  to the saloons and the tea stalls at 12 PM.

Tehsildar and local police had played a vital role in bringing some non-dalits to take part in the event. They made it sure that dalits had hair cuts in two saloons in that area. This was the first time that dalits had hair cut in those saloons. Also, they were served with tea in all the three tea stalls. These actions have put an end to the vicious untouchability practices in that area.

Hair Dressing in Madurai

IN Madurai district, Vadipatti town panchayat, dalits were not allowed to have hair cut in the saloons. This was also revealed during the survey conducted by the TNUEF in August. The TNUEF had listed out the saloons that were refusing cut hair for dalits and handed over to the district administration. Sensing that the administration is hesitating to act, it was decided to conduct direct action programme under the leadership of P Shanmugam, AIKS state secretary, on September 30. 

Talks were held by the administration with the Hair Dressers Association and finally the Association had to agree to the demands of the dalits. The leaders and the dalit people were firm in having hair cut on September 30. But the administration said that this would be done on September 29 itself. They also assured that the untouchability practice would be put to an end with this.

On September 20, dalit people under the leadership of M Thangaraj, TNUEF state secretary, S K Ponnuthai, TNUEF state secretary, C Ramakrishnan, CPI(M) district secretary, D Chellakannu, Boominathan, N P Ramesh Kannan, district leaders of the TNUEF, Thamizhalan, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s state assistant secretary, Viduthalai Veeran, state  joint general secretary, Athi Thamizhar Peravai and others, went to the saloons. In all the three saloons, hair cut was done to dalits.

Successful Bath by Dalits in Virudhunagar

THIS was the first victory in the direct action programme. In Virudhunagar district, V Muthulingapuram, the dalit Arunthathiyars were denied permission to take bath in the common water tank. Here, 70 Arunthathiyar families are residing. The petitions to the administration yielded no result. Hence, the decision for direct action programme led by A Lazar, MLA.  There were other issues also like, denial of path to the cremation ground, non-filling up of drinking water tank, making the dalit students to clean the toilets in the school etc.

The water tank was built in 2011-12.  When the Arunthathiyar youth tried to take bath, the casteist elements resisted them. During another attempt, they made the tank empty by releasing out the water. The announcement that the direct action will be held on September 30 had unnerved the district administration.  They came forward for the talks.

During the talks, under the insistence of the TNUEF leaders, the district administration had to agree for all the demands regarding the untouchability practices. On September 21, the dalit Arunthathiyars took bath in the common water tank. C Murugesan, TNUEF district president, S Gnana Guru, TNUEF district secretary, M C Pandian, CPI(M) area committee secretary, along with the leaders of various organisations took part in this.

In the direct action programme that was conducted across the state, leaders and activists of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Athi Thamizhar Peravai, CITU, DYFI, SFI, AIDWA, AIKS, AIAWU, AIIEA have taken part in the talks and direct action programmes. The state committee of the TNUEF has congratulated and appreciated the achievements and the efforts put in by all. These events will have its echo in many parts of the state. Also, the momentum gained by this emphatic victory, will also be intensified further.

Brinda Karat decries pendency of dalit atrocity cases

CPIM politburo member Brinda Karat said that about 1.1 lakh cases of atrocities against dalits have been pending in various courts across the country.

Speaking at meeting in Madurai on Saturday to felicitate advocates who fought in the courts for rights of dalits of Uthapuram village, Karat said that according to the National Crime Records Bureau some of the cases have been pending for several years. Reeling out statistics, Karat said that on an average 32,600 odd cases of atrocities against dalits are booked across the country which means every day roughly 93 dalits are affected. "In 2012 alone, more than 45,000 cases of atrocities against dalits have been booked across the country. However, most of these cases remain pending without any progress. Only 23 people who were accused in these cases were convicted in the whole year,'' she said. At thes national level, only a meagre 3.6% of the cases against dalits see their logical end and the perpetrators are punished, she said.

She lauded the advocates for their role in Uthapuram incident and said that without the advocates, the atrocities against dalits of the Uthapuram could have continued. Karat pointed out that the court has ordered distribution of relief to affected dalits of Uthapuram, but the distribution is yet to be completed.

Advocates U Nirmalarani, R Rajkumar, D JAyakumar, P Selvaraj and P Rajan were felicitated at the event. Villagers of Uthapuram who were present at the function said that when they were harassed by the non- dalits of the village, several advocates they had approached refused to appear for them in the court. But the five took up the case and won it. They also refused to take their fee from the villagers in a goodwill gesture.

(Courtesy : Times of India)

One more Untouchability wall demolished in Tamil Nadu on the intervention of TNUEF

A temple and a wall built on the road to a Dalit colony in Dharmapuri District six months ago was demolished by municipal authorities on Thursday. These structures were constructed on the road between Ambedkar Colony of the Dalits and Gandhi Nagar where caste-Hindus resided.

Officials said in September last year, M. Kanchana of Ambedkar Colony lodged a complaint with the Dharmapuri Municipality that caste-Hindus of Gandhi Nagar had constructed a wall 10 years ago to block the way to her colony, forcing the Dalits to take a circuitous route to their colony. While they continued to endure this, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) began in 2009 a series of protests to have the wall removed. But, there was no solution.

A. Kumar, district convener of the TNUEF told that the organisation had held many agitations, including one on March 14 this year, to demand the demolition of the temple and the wall. It had also represented to District Collector and Superintendent of Police for action.

Ms. Kanchana submitted a petition to the municipality on September 13, last year, seeking demolition of the wall. Meanwhile, the residents of Gandhi Nagar constructed the temple on the road.

Officials said that after verifying the land records, they found that the temple and the wall were built to block the path. The wall and the temple were demolished on Thursday morning. This was carried out in three hours, in the face of protest from the residents of Gandhi Nagar, A. Gurusamy, Commissioner (in-charge) of Dharmapuri Municipality said. Police were posted at the spot to prevent violence.

When asked why the civic body took eight months since the submission of petition to demolish the wall, Mr. Gurusamy said two rounds of talks with residents of both colonies were held to find an amicable solution. When the municipality saw that those who built the temple and the wall were not willing to remove these, it decided to demolish the structures.

CPIM demands judicial enquiry into police firing in Paramkudi

CPI(M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan said a sitting judge of the Madras High Court should conduct the inquiry. G Ramakrishnan said the. In a statement, Com G. Ramakrishnan termed the arrest of John Pandian as an act of immaturity. “Two dalit boys were killed by some casteist forces in order to scare the dalits. In this tense situation, thousands of people were gathering to visit the memorial of Imanuel Sekaran in Paramakudi. The arrest of John Pandian only shows the immaturity of the police”, he said. He asked the government to take steps that would restore the people's confidence and arrest those who were behind the murder of Palanikumar.

Mr Ramakrishnan demanded an inquiry commission and sought action against the errant police officials. He also sought a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the deceased.

TNUEF Flayed police firing on dalits

Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front strongly condemns the police firing on Dalits at Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district and Chintamani in Madurai on Sunday who went to attend the guru puja of Dalit leader Immanuel Sekaran.

In a statement issued its president P. Sampath said that it is a usual event where tens and thousands of Dalits gather to pay homage to Immanuel Sekaran who died fighting for the rights of Dalits. This year just a day before the anniversary a Dalit school student was murdered by a group belonging to the dominant caste and this murder had sparked tension in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Virudhunagar districts. 

When the situation is tense and at a time when people gather in such huge numbers, it was not at all wise on the part of police to have arrested the Dalit leader John Pandian which had indeed resulted in protests at various places. TNUEF demanded that the Tamil Nadu government should institute a judicial enquiry and conduct a thorough enquiry on the whole incident of police firing. The government should announce a compensation of Rs.5 lakh as compensation and provide better treatment for the injured. The front also said that the government should take immediate steps to prevent atrocities and violence against Dalits in the State.

TNUEF Demonstration seeking temple entry for Dalits

Members of the Untouchability Eradication Front along with like minded organisations staged a demonstration seeking entry for Dalits into the Mariamman Temple at Kalapatti in Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu. The State president of the Front Sampath, its district secretary Sivagnanam, functionaries of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, Adhi Tamiar Viduthalai Munnani and Students Federation of India took part in the demonstration. They urged the State Government and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to intervene and ensure rights of entry for the Dalits into the temple. The temple is under the administration of the HR&CE since 1973 and HR & CE officials reportedly paid a visit to the temple on Monday to take stock of the situation.

The activists have decided to wait for the administration to act on the issue, failing which the organisations will forcibly enter the temple. The date of the agitation will be decided shortly.

Source : The Hindu

Another Untouchability Wall demolished in Tamil Nadu

Under severe pressure and protests by Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front and CPIM against the untouchability wall, Revenue officials on Saturday demolished two portions of a one-km-long compound wall in Nagarajapuram on the outskirts of the city, which had denied Dalits in the area access to the main road. The demolition of the “untouchability wall” along two stretches of 30 ft and 23 ft has now provided residents of the Dalit colony an easier access to the main road that stretches from Thadagam Road to Thondamuthur Road.

A real estate promoter had built the wall along his layout, measuring seven feet in height and two metre in width. The residents of the Dalit colony objected to this alleged discrimination.

They contended that the real estate promoter had built the wall fearing that the sites may not fetch a good price if Dalits had access to the approach roads at the layout. The wall had forced the Dalit colony residents to take a detour of more than a km to reach the main road.

The issue was brought to the fore by the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF). The approved layout plan had a reserve site on the other side of the compound wall which was shown as earmarked for a park. The approach road inside the layout from the main road ended just ahead of the park.

District convener of the TNUEF U.K. Sivagnanam was present when Tahsildars Lakshmikanthan (South) and S. Sundarrajan (North) inspected the wall. The officials first deputed a surveyor to measure the lands to ascertain the exact boundaries. The officials also checked with the local body on whether the reserve site and the approach roads in the layout had been handed over to the local body concerned.

On confirming that the layout was approved and the reserve site and approach roads had been handed over to the local body, the officials carried out the demolition on Saturday.

Using an earthmover, 30 ft length of the old compound wall at one place and another 23 ft of the new at the other end of the Dalit colony was demolished.

Untouchability Eradication Front warns of direct action

The Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front, affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), will get into direct action to open the pathway leading to the agricultural lands of Dalits, which was allegedly closed by a caste-Hindu family at Kalkeri village in Denkanikottai taluk in Krishnagiri District, P. Sampath, State President of the Front, said on Thursday.

In his address at a demonstration organised by the Front before the Taluk Office in Denkanikottai, he said that in spite of several rounds of peace talks conducted by the revenue authorities, the atrocities on Dalits continued in the village.

Mr. Sampath accused the police of failing to take action against those indulging in the atrocities and those who blocked the pathway. If the authorities failed to remove the block within a month, the Front will launch direct action.

Temple entry stir

He said due to the temple entry agitation of the CPI (M), the police escorted the Dalits into the temples in the village on January 1, 2009. Angered over this, caste-Hindus blocked the pathway.

Peace talks were conducted by the District Revenue Officer and subsequently by the Sub-Collector, Hosur on June 4 this year after which the pathway was opened in the presence of the Tahsildhar of Denkanikottai the next day. But it was closed again.

(Source : The Hindu)

CPI(M) protest seeking wall demolition

Cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and members of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front staged a demonstration here on Wednesday demanding the demolition of a wall at Edamalaipattipudur in the city that denied Dalits access to the main road.

The demonstration was headed by the party's city secretary, K. Annadurai, in which the CPI (M) district secretary, S. Sridhar, Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front convenor P. Sampath and CPI (M) functionaries took part.

The party claimed that the wall was constructed on a pathway on the Muthumariamman Koil Street in Edamalaipattipudur, falling under the 40th ward, to prevent Dalits from using that way. It said several Dalit families were residing on the Muthumariamman Koil Street and the Tiruchi – Madurai national highway was just 50 metres from that street. The Dalits had to take a detour to reach the main road owing to the presence of the wall, the party claimed.

Meanwhile, Collector Mahesan Kasirajan has said that the district administration was in the process of verifying the document produced by the resident of Sakthivel Colony in Edamalaipattipudur indicating ownership of the portion of the tiled house that blocks the path to the Tiruchi-Madurai road for residents of the adjoining Adi Dravida colony, before initiating steps to clear the way.

The resident, Nalla Mohamed, has submitted the photocopy of the document for the ‘Natham' patta he was given in 1994.

The Revenue Divisional Officer has asked him to produce the original document to ensure its conformity with the records maintained by the district administration.

The process will be carried out at the earliest, the Collector told media persons on Wednesday.

There are means to revoke the grant of patta. Since the wall has been in existence for more than 30 years, the district administration has to make sure it has not acted in haste. Hence the enquiry, he said, adding that had the wall been constructed on ‘poromboke' land, it could have been removed right away. With the issue hogging media limelight, facts have to be viewed in the right perspective, he said.

Mr.Kasirajan informed that 100 families in the Adi Dravida colony were given pattas in 1965, and that the 29 families in Sakthivel Colony to the West of the Adi Dravida Colony encompass seven Muslim families, five Christian families, one Adi Dravida family, and other communities.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

CPIM, TNUEF activists of Gudiyatham gets bail

CPIM, TNUEF leaders including Gudiyatham MLA G Latha and TNUEF state secretary P Sampath, who were were arrested for holding a demonstration against demolition of houses of Dalits and Muslims in Veloor district were released in bail on 17th August.

The struggle was launched for the resettlement Dalits and Muslims who were forcibly evicted by anti socials of real estate mafia with the support of the ruling DMK and government officials on the 12th of August. The anti socials demolished the dwelling places of 39 families of dalits and muslims who were living there for the past 100 years. The already settled dalit and muslim people were forcilble evicted by the real estate mafia with the help of police.The District Administration earlier assured to take action on the evictors and arrange for resettlement but become a mute spectator.In this context the TNUEF and CPIM launched a massive picketing struggle in front of Gudiyatham Taluk office demanding resettlement of evicted dalits and muslims on 12th August.Later the police arrested the leaders and 59 other activists including 16 women and remanded. They were charged with false cases.
Protest demonstration were held across the state against the highhandedness of the police against the cadres.

TNUEF STRUGGLE AGAINST UNTOUCHABILITY IN CHIDAMBARAM NATARAJAR TEMPLE

The famous Natarajar Temple at Chidambaram is a place of untouchability in as much as the south gate of the temple through which Nandan, ardent follower of Natarajar went to worship the God,Natarajar was closed as a symbol of untouchability. Many dalit organisations are fighting for the cause of opening the closed door of untouchability but in vain.


Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front,CPM and other Dalit Organisations to day held a demonstration before the South Gate of Natarajar temple demanding opening of the closed door.Nearly 600 people led by Samuelraj (TNUEF Genl.Secretary), K,Balakrishnan, P.Selvasingh, P.Shanmugam (State Secretariat Members of CPiM), D.Arumugam( Dist.Secretary of CPIM)S,Tamilselvan,(Genl.Secretary,TNPWA) S.K.Mahendran MLA picketed the south gate of the temple raising powerful slogans against untouchability practiced by the temple administration and Govt.of Tamilnadu. The police arrested all the agitators and removed them and later released them in the evening.
The Govt.of Tamilnadu posing itself as the champion of dalits and following the preachings of Periyar did not come forward to open the untouchability wall of Chidambaram Natarajar temple instead suppressing the legitimate and justified struggles aiming at the eradication of untouchability.One has to correctly understand the dual role of the DMK Party in the power in Tamilnadu.
(Courtesy : onuntouchability.blogspot.com, Photos : Gavaskar Theekathir)

Police atrocities on CPIM cadres in Madurai

Cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), volunteers of Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front and residents of Uthapuram were injured when the police used force to remove protesters who laid siege to the Collectorate here on Monday.

Among the injured were State president of the front P. Sampath and its general secretary K. Samuel Raj and rural district secretary of the All India Democratic Women's Association S.K. Ponnuthai, party sources said.

Over 370 agitators, led by the party's Rajya Sabha MP T.K. Rangarajan, were arrested by the city police after they continued with their agitation as “the Collector refused to fix a timeframe to settle untouchability issues at Uthapuram.”

The arrested cadre went on a hunger strike on the Tamukkam ground where they were lodged. They refused food offered by the police.

The protest was organised to urge the district administration to give Dalits the right to worship at a temple in Uthapuram; allow them to use a common pathway and permit construction of a bus shelter for the benefit of the oppressed class under the MPs' Local Area Development Fund.

After staging a demonstration in front of the Collectorate, a delegation led by Mr. Rangarajan, including party MLAs N. Nanmaran and S.K. Mahendran, represented their demands. The Collector promised to look into the demand of ensuring use of the common pathway by the Dalits. “But he said the other two demands could be considered only after inspecting the village,” Mr. Rangarajan told. “It is now three years since the ‘untouchability' wall was demolished on the intervention of the Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi. The district has seen four Collectors since then. The Chief Minister promised to make Uthapuram an ideal place. But things have only got worse there,” he added.

As the talks before the Collector failed,the demonstrators raised slogans condemning the Govt of TN and District Administration who are in collusion with the upper caste people in denying the basic rights to dalit people of uthapuram and also demanding basic rights to the people of Uthapuram. The Police all of a sudden started lathicharging the demonstrators and the leader are dragged in the street and handled roughly by the police.Nearly 40 persons severely injured and they were admitted in the Govt.Hospital.

Stating that Rs. 3.75 lakh of the local area development fund he had allotted for construction of the bus shelter in the village remained unutilised, Mr. Rangarajan said that the officials feared a law and order problem on construction of the shelter. “It is the duty of the officials to take action against those who create problems,” he said.

(Photos : Lenin, Theekathir)

CORPSE OF DALIT BURIED IN DISPUTED BURIAL GROUND DESPITE POLICE RESISTANCE IN SORISPURAM under the leadership of TNEUF

P.Esakkimuthu,Dist.Convener,TNUEF,Tuticorin

The burial ground in the enjoyment of dalit People of Sorispuram in Tuticorin District (TN) for more than 6 decades was all of a sudden denied on the ground that it located in a patta land of a private party. The dalit people under the banner of TN Untouchability Eradication front (TNUEF) undertook different form of struggle but in vain. A picketing of Collectorate on 5.7.10 was declared. In the meantime one Sri nainar of age 85 died of sickness all of a sudden.

The villagers led by TNUEF leaders P.Esakkimuthu ( District Convener), K P.Perumal (District Secretary of AIKS) K.S.Arjunan (Town Secretary of CPI(M) and Sankarasubbu (AIKS), Marimuthu (Town Secretary of DYFI) Vai.Balu (CITU), took the corpse in procession to the disputed burial ground. The RDO and Police denied permission to enter into the burial ground. The processionist with the corpse,however, managed to enter into the burial ground by breaking the fence and the stone pillars, dig the ground and buried the corpse despite the police snatched the crowbar and spades used for digging the burial ground. Thus the dead body was buried and a memorial stone was laid near the buried place. The police force was all of a sudden withdrawn from the scene.

After the burial was over, P.Esakkimuthu, K.S.Arjunan and K.P.Perumal addressed the gathering stressing the need to rally behind the TNUEF to protect the rights of the dalits. It is thus again established that the abrogated burial ground can be restored with the unity and struggle of the dalit people under the banner of TNUEF despite fence, stonepillars and Police

Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front conference concludes

The first State Conference of Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front(TNUEF) was held at Pudukkottai on 28,29 of May,2010. More than 50000 people all over Tamilnadu attended the Massive Rally organized on 29^th evening and Com.Prakash Karat, General Secretary of CPI(M) addresses the Public Meeting held after the culmination of the rally. The conference was inaugurated by Com.K.Varadrajan, Polit Bureau Member of CPI(M)

A resolution adopted said that Tamil Nadu was one of the states prone to atrocities and offences of untouchability. The constitution of a body with statutory powers would go a long way in resolving the issues pertaining to the offences. Although the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had assured to constitute a legal body during the course of the Dalit convention at Chennai in October last year, no follow-up action was initiated so far in this regard, the resolution pointed out.

It also pleaded for inclusion of secular experts and representatives of anti-atrocity organisations in the district-level awareness-cum-vigilance committees.

Another resolution pleaded for reservation for Dalits in the private sector and sought immediate filling up of posts in the government and public sector undertakings.

It said that globalisation had resulted in 'injustice' for Dalits especially in the absence of reservation in private job opportunities. The Central government too had 'yielded' to pressure from big industrialists in this regard.

The fact that the regional parties including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which formed part of the Central Government, had not voiced their concern had led to denial of social justice.

Further, non-filling up of vacant posts had also deprived the Dalits of their employment opportunities.

For instance, in Railways alone, as many as 1.70 lakh posts were yet to be filled up.

Similarly, a large number of posts were lying vacant in various departments of State Government.

The convention, through another resolution, wanted stern action against officials not implementing the Prevention of Atrocities Act. Allocation of adequate funds for the effective implementation of the Act; periodical convening of the state and district-level committees; expeditious disposal of cases pertaining to atrocities and untouchability offences and awarding due punishment to the accused were also sought.

New Office Bearers elected

On the concluding day a mass rally was taken out, and around 50,000 volenteers from around the state took part in it. The conference also elected new office bearers. Com. P Sampath has been elected the President TNUEF. Com. Samuel Raj has been elected General Secretary. R Jayraman is elected Treasurer. A 98 member state committee is also been constituted.

Eliminating untouchability is first step to ending caste

Annihilation of the caste system should be the goal and the first step is to eliminate untouchability, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said on Saturday.

Untouchability was the worst feature of the caste system in the country, Mr. Karat told the first State conference of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front here. “Even after 62 years of Independence what we find in our society is that caste transcended all classes. Though the Constitution proclaimed equality, we still find it did not go with the ground reality,” Mr. Karat said.

Struggle against the caste system should go along with struggle against socio-economic and class exploitation. What was needed was a social revolution which could not come without fighting and abolishing the caste system.

The Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front had been engaged in path-breaking activity over the last three years fighting all forms of caste discrimination and untouchability. Even people outside Tamil Nadu were looking up to the Front as an inspiration in their struggle against oppression. The Front should bring under its fold all those who were against caste discrimination and untouchability and it would become a genuine instrument in bringing about social change in Tamil Nadu, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Karat released a collection of short stories authored by Aadhavan Dheetchanya on atrocities committed against Dalits.

Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front convenor P. Sampath called for starting branches of the front at all levels within the State. The front had created confidence among the oppressed communities.

General secretary of the All-India Vivasayigal Sangam K. Varadharajan, CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan, party MLA S.K. Mahendran and All-India Democratic Women's Association general secretary U. Vasuki took part in the conference.

CPI(M) to seek ATR on Misra report

Addressing a public meeting organised by the front here, Mr. Karat said the CPI(M) would demand, in the next session of the Parliament, an action taken report on the recommendations of the National Commission on Religious and Linguistic Minorities headed by Justice Ranganath Misra.

Though the Centre had placed the commission's report in Parliament it had not acted on that. The CPI (M) would be in touch with other parties in this regard. The commission had made two major recommendations — to provide reservation up to 15 per cent in education and offer job opportunities for the minorities, who were socially, educationally and economically backward. It had also recommended that those of Scheduled Caste origin, irrespective of religion, be brought under the scheduled caste reservation, Mr. Karat said.

The CPI (M) had been demanding that Dalit Christians and any person of Scheduled Caste origin, irrespective of religion, be provided reservation.

Mr. Karat said the economic policies of the Centre had adversely affected the livelihood of people. The policies limited the opportunities for the Dalits as the government had downsized and banned recruitment to various departments. “So where is the reservation for SC and ST?” Mr.Karat said and pointed out that there was no reservation in the private sector.

Fight privatisation

He called upon the oppressed communities to fight the privatisation, liberalisation and globalisation policies of the government as it was the only way to protect their lives.

The government was promoting privatisation of higher education and allowing business houses to start educational institutions. Foreign educational institutions had also been allowed. This way, education would go out of the reach of SC, ST and other backward communities as there would be no reservation.

Mr. Karat said a powerful struggle had to be launched to protect the rights of the Dalits and other oppressed sections. The goals and aims of social reformers like Dr. Ambedkar and Periyar had not been fulfilled even after 62 years of Independence, he said, calling for a fight against caste oppression. Untouchability in any form could not be witnessed in Communist-ruled States, he observed.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Tamil Nadu's Hidden apartheid

A recent survey carried out by the TNUEF brings to light details of the discrimination Dalits in Madurai have faced for generations

(S. DORAIRAJ : in Madurai - Frontline Magazine)



The homes of sanitary workers at Gomespalayam.
In all these slums, the narrow, overcrowded lanes
between houses are used by the residents as bathrooms and storerooms.

OVER seven decades have rolled by since the freedom fighter A. Vaidhyanatha Iyer successfully led Dalits into the Meenakshi temple in Madurai, overcoming all the impediments posed by the casteist forces that were hell-bent on thwarting the historic event. But the stark reality is that “hidden apartheid” against Dalits continues in different areas of this famous temple city, not to speak of the prevalence of untouchability in several villages in Madurai district.

An extensive survey of 21 Dalit habitations by activists of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) has brought to light the discrimination that Dalits living in the city have faced for generations. The findings explode the myth that discrimination is experienced by Dalits only in isolated villages and that the evil practice is on the wane. But the political parties except those of the Left by and large maintain a stoic silence on the issue.

Releasing the report of the study on December 18, 2009, P. Sampath, State convener of the TNUEF, said Dalits in Madurai city were haunted by problems such as poor health and unhygienic living conditions. They also lacked proper housing, a proper environment for education, employment opportunities, financial assistance for self-employment and social mobility, and faced delays in the disbursement of welfare assistance, including old-age pension, he said. Non-issuance of pattas for those who have been residing in the city for more than three decades is another issue highlighted by the organisation. The plight of sanitary workers, those working in cremation grounds, and cobblers who belong to the Arunthathiar community has also been brought to light.

Interactions with a cross section of Dalits, trade union functionaries, activists of non-governmental organisations, and experts on various related areas confirmed the veracity of many of the findings. The most pressing problem faced by Dalits is residential segregation. It may be a rude shock to the city’s many visitors that Dalits, who form a little less than 10 per cent of its population of over 1.1 million, by and large live in segregated colonies. These habitations, which come under 19 major slum clusters, including Aruldosspuram, Sellur, Munichilai, Thideer Nagar, Sathamangalam, Anuppanadi and Villapuram, are spread over many of the city’s 72 wards, including the ones represented by the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor.

There is ample evidence to show that Dalits are not recent settlers. The location of the major Dalit habitations just outside the four gateways – Melavaasal, Keezhavaasal, Therkuvaasal and Vadakkuvaasal – clearly indicates that during the Nayak period (the 16th and 17th centuries) itself they lived on the outskirts of the town, a senior archaeologist told Frontline. These areas are now prime locations in the city, thanks to its expansion. According to him, the Arunthathiars who speak Telugu might have come as part of the entourage of Viswanatha Nayak in the 16th century A.D. and settled on the outskirts of the town as the fort, moat and gateways were developed during this period. Old revenue records also speak of “Pallar Mayanam” (burial ground of Pallars), which existed near Palanganatham, he pointed out.

A sizable number of slum-dwellers are sanitary workers who belong to the Arunthathiar community, which is at the bottom of the caste hierarchy. Others are daily-wage earners such as manual workers, ragpickers, hawkers, load men and rickshaw pullers.

Even in slums that have mixed populations, the dwelling units of Dalits are confined to clearly demarcated streets. A classic example is the slum at Thathaneri, where streets have been named after the sub-sects of the Scheduled Castes. Even in official records such as family cards issued by the Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department, a street where Dalits reside has been referred to as “Pallar Street” though it was officially renamed long ago. Some public distribution outlets have been named “Harijan cooperative fair price shops” as mentioned in the family cards.

“There is a point in Dalits preferring to live in habitations where their neighbours are from the same community. They still feel insecure if they move out of these habitations. This tendency only shows that urbanisation has not helped them shed the feeling of insecurity. Urbanisation is not a panacea for the problems of socially and economically deprived sections,” said B.S. Chandrababu, general secretary of the South Indian History Congress. He feels that the Left and progressive forces should spearhead the campaign to end all forms of discrimination against Dalits.

Dogged by problems such as poor water supply and sanitation facilities, high population density and poor infrastructure, Dalits have to coexist with pigs and stray dogs in most of these crowded slums. These habitations fit in with the definition of slums under Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act, 1971. They are “(i) in any respect unfit for human habitation” and are “(ii) by reason of dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangement and design of such buildings, narrowness or faulty arrangement of streets, lack of ventilation, light or sanitation facilities, or any combination of these factors, detrimental to safety, health or morals….” Almost all the houses in these slums are arranged in narrow lanes and each has a single room with a built area of 10 × 10 feet or less. It may sound odd but is, nevertheless, true that each accommodates around 10 people as Dalits, particularly Arunthathiars, have been forced to adopt the joint family system owing to lack of space in their habitations.

Although slum-dwellers who belong to communities other than the Scheduled Castes also suffer owing to a lack of civic amenities, they at least enjoy a social status and do not have to worry about the caste stigma if they shift to better residential areas. But in the case of Dalits, seeking alternative accommodation outside these ghettos is not simple as non-Dalits are reluctant to sell or rent their houses to them, said M. Thangaraj, convener of the district unit of the TNUEF. Even as exorbitant real estate costs deny Dalits access to decent housing, their plots do not fetch the same market price as those of non-Dalits in adjacent areas, according to K. Swaminathan, general secretary of the south zone unit of the All India Insurance Employees’ Association.

Residents of Heera nagar, close to Kiruthamal Nadhi,live with the unbearable stench of sewage and garbage.

R. Rajagopal, joint convener of the district TNUEF and general secretary of the Madurai Municipal Corporation Sanitary Workers’ Union, stressed the need for issuance of house site pattas to Dalits at Manjalmedu, Mela Ponnagaram, Mini Colony, Subramaniapuram, Keezh Madurai, Anuppanadi, Karumbalai, Virattipathu and Arasaradi.

Take, for instance, the Karumbalai slum, which has three subunits: S.M. Colony, P.T. Colony and Indira Nagar. The slum has as many as 2,000 households. A vast majority of them have not received house site pattas though they have been there for more than 30 years. “Though an underground drainage pipeline has been laid here, because of the non-provision of connections to individual houses there has not been any improvement in the sewer system,” said A. Pandi, a resident of S.M. Colony. M. Pandiammal resides in P.T. Colony with her husband and four grown-up children. Cooking ragi outside her house near an open sewer, she said: “We don’t have space for cooking or keeping our things. We ask our children to sleep outside the house. The Slum Clearance Board authorities have not issued pattas on the grounds of non-clearance of dues.” In all these slums, the narrow, overcrowded lanes between the rows of houses are used by the residents as bathrooms and storerooms. “The open drain running around the slum breeds mosquitoes. Congestion and lack of air and light also add to our woes. During the monsoon, the situation becomes worse as the whole area is inundated and sewage mixes with drinking water,” said M. Kaliammal, a resident of S.M. Colony.

The situation in Gomespalayam, which is in the ward represented by the Deputy Mayor, is in no way different from that of the other slums. M. Leela, wife of a Corporation sanitary worker, said that her family, which included four children and six grandchildren, lived in an 8 × 10 feet room. Bathrooms constructed by the Corporation in the slum have been abandoned because there is no water supply to them. Drinking water is supplied to the area only from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. As the open sewer in the slum gets clogged with silt every now and then, residents remove the silt using iron buckets.

The residents are sceptical of the Corporation authorities’ proposed plan to shift them to another place so that tenements can be constructed by the Slum Clearance Board. They do not want the confusion that prevailed during the allotment of 240 newly constructed tenements at Thideer Nagar to happen in their case also. They described the travails of the displaced people of Thideer Nagar who were provided temporary shelters at Villapuram.

The conditions at Heera Nagar close to Kiruthamal Nadhi, a huge drainage canal in the Melavaasal area, are appalling. The residents have no option but to tolerate the stench of sewage and the garbage dumped on either side of the canal. The authorities have not yet taken up work on the project to build a wall along the canal to prevent flooding, Thangaraj pointed out. The slum at Subramaniapuram, which is part of the ward that elected the Mayor, is also in bad shape. Around 450 households in the slum wait for house site pattas. Over 1,500 people reside in Madurai Municipal Corporation Colony, which has only 90 houses constructed in a small area for sanitary workers of the civic body.

Open drains and heaps of rotting waste make life miserable for the residents of the Thandalkaranpatti slum. “In our area, mosquito repellents don’t work,” said M. Sumathi, who belongs to the Arunthathiar community.

Referring to reports that Tamil Nadu ranks first in urbanisation among the 15 major States in the country, experts point out that unchecked and rapid urbanisation has presented the civic administration with the formidable challenge of having to tackle issues such as pollution and the growing demand for resources and space. Slum-dwellers in general and Dalits in particular bear the brunt of the onslaught of urbanisation in Madurai. In a city where 450 tonnes of garbage is generated every day, the absence of an effective primary collection mechanism, the inadequacy of dumping yards and the lack of scientific disposal methods have added to the woes of these people.

Another major problem encountered by Dalits is the inadequate number of community toilets in the slums as none of their houses has individual toilets. There are around 480 toilets including 220 “pay and use” toilets. Almost half of them are defunct owing to poor maintenance. Many of the free toilets have been made deliberately non-functional by the contractors who were collecting fees for use of the pay and use toilets, activists of the TNUEF said.

The number of toilets built by the Corporation is far lower than the number required. Open-air defecation, particularly by children, is a common feature in the slums as daily-wage earners and sanitary workers have to spend around 25 per cent of their earnings just to use the toilet complexes. A fee of Rs.3 has been fixed for using latrines, and bathing at least once a day entails payment of another Rs.3, said G. Jeyaraj, founder of the Annai Teresa Rural Development Trust (ATRDT). For a family of five with a single breadwinner, this will work out to Rs.30 a day, whereas the real monthly income is Rs.3,000-4,000.

The Corporation should have appointed a minimum of 4,400 sanitary workers to satisfy the accepted norm of one sanitary worker for every 400 people in a city, said Rajagopal. Reluctance on the part of the authorities to increase the workforce has resulted in Arunthathiars performing the job of scavengers at hotels, hospitals and other private establishments for meagre wages. In certain areas, they have been asked to skin carcasses. In some areas, they have to do manual scavenging too, said N.P. Ramesh Kannan, an activist of the TNUEF. Though non-Dalits are recruited for the post of sanitary workers, they are given other jobs such as office assistants, Rajagopal alleged. At some tea stalls, sanitary workers are served tea in disposable plastic cups, he said.

According to Rajagopal, several of the preconditions laid down by the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing & Development Corporation for the provision of loans and financial assistance to Dalits have facilitated the entry of middlemen. They have also paved the way for these deprived sections to walk into the debt trap set by private moneylenders, who charge exorbitant interest, he said. In the event of non-repayment of loans, women suffer insults and humiliation at the hands of these moneylenders. He also called for proper monitoring of the schemes being implemented to improve the welfare of Dalits and to improve the infrastructure in their habitations.

The unhygienic environment in the slums often results in health problems. Official sources admitted that against the sanctioned strength of 2,700 sanitary workers, only 1,847 were working and that the Corporation attempted to manage the situation by appointing 115 contract labourers and 681 workers on daily wages. Even for its regular sanitary workers, the Corporation has constructed only 200 one-room houses. The Corporation caters to the health needs of slum-dwellers through its 17 urban health posts and 17 maternity dispensaries, besides conducting health camps periodically, the sources claimed.

Education is another grey area. The dropout rate among Dalit schoolchildren is high. This is more so in the case of Arunthathiar children owing to the daily routine of their parents. A study conducted recently by the ATRDT found that 96 per cent of Arunthathiar children were admitted to Standard I in Corporation schools. However, the number dwindled to 60 per cent in Standard V and 45 per cent in Standard VIII. Around 20 per cent did not go beyond Standard X. Only a small percentage of children from this community proceeded further, finished Standard XII and joined colleges. The sudden death of the breadwinners of families also contributed to students abruptly discontinuing their studies as in the case of Ramar of Subramaniapuram, who chose to help his mother, a conservancy worker, after his father’s demise.

Highlighting the problems faced by the wards of Dalits, S.K. Ponnuthai, joint convener of the district unit of the TNUEF and secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association’s Madurai district unit, said that sanitary workers had little time to spare to take care of their children’s education as their daily routine involved leaving the home before 5 a.m. “That is why we demand the introduction of a shift system for sanitary workers. This will ensure that at least one parent is at home to help the children leave for school on time,” she said.

Even those children who score good marks in Plus Two find it difficult to enter the portals of higher education institutions, particularly those in the private sector, because of the huge fees levied by them. M. Murugan of Thandalkaranpatti holds diplomas in catering technology and electronics. Though he registered his name at the employment exchange 10 years ago, he is still waiting for a call letter. He ekes out a living by running a roadside eatery.

D. Alagammal, daughter of sanitary worker Valli of Karumbalai, recalled with gratitude the exemplary role played by her mother in enabling her to become a graduate against all odds. Having completed her BEd course a couple of years ago, she is waiting for the call letter to fulfil her dream of becoming a schoolteacher. P. Karthik of Subramaniapuram Colony, who has just completed his BA, aspires to become a lawyer. Candidates like them have to grope in the dark in the absence of proper counselling.

The TNUEF has decided to launch a sustained campaign to highlight the problems of the Dalits of Madurai in general, and it is striving to set up a coaching centre to help students of this deprived community in their educational pursuits, according to a spokesman of the organisation.

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