Tamil Nadu   

CPI(M) plans mass temple entry on September 30

MADURAI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist), along with 15 Dalit organisations, has planned a “mass temple entry programme” on September 30 to protest the practice of untouchability in the State.

Addressing a meeting convened to form ‘Tamil Nadu Theendamai Ozhippu Munnani’ (Tamil Nadu Front for Eradication of Untouchability) here on Thursday, the party’s State secretary, N. Varadarajan, said that untouchability was still prevalent across the State.

“Caste dominance is still there in many districts. Dalits cannot have their hair cut at some salons in Sirkazhi,” he said.

The front will organise temple entry in select four or five temples to highlight the social menace. Thousands of Dalits along with others would participate in the protest.

Later, talking to reporters, Mr. Varadarajan urged the Government to come up with a scientific solution to stop sanitary workers from carrying night soil.

“The State Government should provide adequate funds and try to replicate alternative methods adopted in other States,” he added.

Stating that crematorium assistants appointed by the Chennai Corporation should be extended to all local bodies, he urged the State to fund their salary as many panchayats could not pay them.

The Government should give priority to Dalits in its welfare schemes .The party State executive committee member and convener of the front, P. Sampath, said that various wings of the party represented by workers, youth, students, women, farmers, writers and artists and the Dalit organisations that formed the front comprised around 30 lakh people.

Alleging that the rate of conviction in cases filed under various penal sections that protect the interests of the Dalits are negligible, he attributed them to “Government’s ignorance and improper investigation by the police.”

Proper implementation of reservation, the Special Component Plan, the Land Reformation Act, the Minimum Wages Act and distribution of free land and house-site ‘pattas’ to the Dalits and tribals were the demands of the front.

The front would be formally inaugurated at a function to be held in Tuticorin soon.

“Press statements (made by coalition partners) will not serve any purpose. Only a discussion by the alliance parties on people’s issues will help,” Mr. Varadarajan said.

He was reacting to the recent remarks made by Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, on the “unjust protests” by members of the Democratic Progressive Alliance. Mr. Varadarajan said that the Government was attempting to implement certain good schemes.

“But, higher involvement of middlemen in those schemes is leading to corruption,” he told reporters. Only discussion could help sort them out.

CM’s intervention

The Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary, D. Pandian, condemned the murder of Sudalaimuthu, Tirunelveli district secretary of All India Youth Federation on Thursday.

He raised the suspicion that “political support” emboldened the accused, who was out on bail, to kill him. Stating that “dominant powers” had brought the accused from the jail to finish off the federation leader, who was fighting against smuggling of sand, Mr. Pandian told reporters that he would take up the issue with the Chief Minister.

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