CHENNAI: Members of the Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India and the Dalit Panthers on Thursday appealed to the State Government not to de-reservePappapatti, Keeripatti, Nattarmangalam and Kottakatchiyendal panchayats till Dalit presidents served a full term.

Participating in a debate on the demand for grants for the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, Deputy leader of the Congress Legislature Party D. Yasodha said rotation of reservation of panchayat president's post should not be applicable to these panchayats where elections could not be held successfully.

She appealed to the Government not to set a bad precedent by de-reserving them, as similar demands would be raised in other parts of the State too.

Ms.Yasodha called for steps to fulfil the election process for the president's post in these panchayats, by bringing forward an ordinance if necessary. Even if the successful candidates submitted their resignation letters, the Government should not accept them.

K. Mahendran (CPI-M) pleaded with the Government to ensure that elections were held successfully in the panchayats. The rotation system should not be implemented in these panchayats where the poll process could not be completed for the last ten years.

P. Padmavathi (CPI) said even if the polls were held for the four reserved panchayats, the successful candidates were forced to resign, minutes after they were sworn-in. The Dalits who entered the fray were subjected to a witch-hunt. It was unfortunate that oppressed people were not allowed to become presidents of the four village panchayats in a country where a Dalit was able to become the President, she said, appealing to all parties to take a joint initiative to change the situation in these panchayats.

K. Selvam (Dalit Panthers) said if the Dalit presidents could not assume office under the present Government, it would become difficult for them to occupy the position under any other rule.

Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani, in a statement, said though these panchayats were reserved for Scheduled Castes for the last 10 years, the local dominant community was not allowing the Government to conduct elections. Even if the Government managed to hold the elections, elected presidents were forced to resign within a few days. Any move to de-reserve these panchayats would mean to succumbing to the pressures of the dominant community.

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