People's Democracy

SC/ST Commission Visits Uthapuram

Ganesh

DESPITE the deployment of heavy police force on January 31, dalits in Uthapuram showed they are firm in their struggle. The way they have organised themselves and the efforts of their leaders to be with them on the D-Day showed that why the name Uthapuram greatly inspires the dalits of Tamilnadu.

The state were taken aback when the National SC/ST Commission showed interest in the issue. Vice chairman of the commission, Dr Rajkumar Virk, told a private television channel that the commission had written to the Madurai district’s superintendent of police seeking explanation as to why dalits were denied entry into the Muthalamman temple. The commission has asked the SP to reply within 15 days.

During their visit to Uthapuram on February 7, commission members Iniyan and Chandraprabha interacted with local dalits for more than an hour and they inspected the Untouchability Wall and the path that was created after demolishing a portion of that wall. When asked by reporters, they said they would submit a report to the commission soon.

THEY WON THEIR DUE

THROUGH STRUGGLE

At Gudiyatham, Thangam Nagar in Vellore district, 36 dalits and Muslims were evacuated by the real estate people who have connections with the ruling party. The CPI(M) and TNUEF took up the cause of these people and conducted many struggles. The decision was that a struggle to resettle the families in taluk office would be organised on September 12, 2010, if they were still denied their right. The administration called the leaders and families for talks, but slipped out away without signing an agreement. It was alleged that the leaders were arrested by the police.

The people, who have lost their residence, were staying in a place at the mercy of some people. When no solution to the issue came up, the TNUEF decided to go in for a demonstration in front of the district collector's office. It was announced that TNUEF president P Sampath, its general secretary K Samuel Raj, K Bala Bharathi (MLA), G Latha (MLA) and CPI(M) district secretary A Narayanan would take part in the demonstration. This prompted the district administration to take action and distribute the pattas for alternative land to the affected people. A Narayanan and G Latha took part in the patta distribution.