N.S.Sajith
Samuel Raj (General secretary of Tamilnadu
Untouchability Eradication Front)
The advances in the social life like temple entry for all including dalits were gained by the states like Kerala decades back. Right now the prime agenda of Progressive movements in neighboring state, Tamilnadu is to protect the dalit rights including temple entry. Dalits in Tamilnadu are still considered as the outcasts in a strictly caste based social order. The fight for the dalit rights gets a new momentum with the struggle in Uthapuram. Though the fight in Uthapuram wins partially, it triggered the various similar fights all over the state. Now the dalits are dare to question the social evils prevails the society.
The streets in the temple premises, where dogs and donkeys stray, and the temple ponds where fishes and water snakes live, are not opened to dalits. Dravidian movements, once waged a war against the caste discrimination and for Dalit rights is now protecting the oppressors. Thus fight nowadays has turned against castiest forces and ruling political class as well.
“Uthapuram Just a symbol, the real fight yet to come” tells Samuel Raj, the general secretary of Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front. Raj a member of CPIM Virudunagar of district committee, was talking to Peoples Democracy in the sidelines of CPIM state conference held in Nagapattinam in last week. Severe kind of caste atrocities is taking place in Tamilnadu in the broad day light. It is unfortunate to say, the land of Periyar E V Ramaswami Naykar is witnessing such ruthless atrocities, like duel glass system in tea shops, separate ration shops system etc, Samuel Raj adds.
There are caste based discrimination prevails in thousands of centres in rural tamilnadu. We partially won the battle in Uthapuram a village in Madurai district. Now our goal is to concentrate struggles in other places. Uthapuram ignited all fights. We are able to destroy a main part of the caste wall in Uthapuram and dalits entered in the Muttalamman temple. There attempts to divert the drainage goes through the dalit colony. Our long pending demand for construction a common bus station is being heard by the district authorities. Cases against the dalit activists are withdrawned. But the mindset of the people should be changed. Still dalits are denied the water in public well in Uthapuram area.The long struggles have definitely made some impact in the society.
After the Uthapuram struggle, 18 untouchability walls have crumbled in all over the state. Nandan Nadantha Theru, a street near Chidambaram temple was opened to dalits. But we are facing fierce opposition from upper castes in the districts like Pudukkottai. There are incidents like obstructing dalit panchayat president to hoist the tricolor on Republic day. On international women’s day, the same women will hoist the flag in the presence of CPIM workers, said Samuel Raj.
Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front started functioning in 2007. Now it has became a common platform of activists and organisations fighting for dalit rights. At very outset the front conducted surveys in 8000 centres in the state to find out the intensity of caste based descrimations. Organisations like Viduthalai Siruthai are co operating with the front. Dalit intellectuals, artists, and even civil service officers are now the part of the front.
The attempts of front for effective implimentation of SC/ST subplan have gained the confidence among the dalit communities. Front has organised state level campaigns and conventions and submitted certain suggestions to the state government.
.JPG)