The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Wall of shame

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Saturday, Apr 19, 2008
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Wall of shame

The existence of a wall in the Uthapuram village of Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, put up by the so-called caste Hindus to keep themselves away from the members of the Dalit community is a crime. Action should be taken under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against those responsible for raising the wall. The government cannot deny responsibility on the ground that no complaint has been lodged (assuming it has not been).

Where are all those who took to the streets when the government enacted a law providing for reservation in higher education? Are they aware that in a Tamil Nadu village, a wall separates Dalits from the ‘upper’ castes and keeps them away from accessing what is rightfully theirs? Different forms of discrimination exist in different parts of the country but they are hardly reported. The Hindu deserves praise for reporting the atrocity.

Ram Ratan Kumar,

Vaishali

* * *

The Hindu should be commended for its noble and bold action of exposing the barbaric act. Ours is a 60-year-old socialist, democratic republic and we have the longest written Constitution that includes the fundamental rights of citizens. The existence of a wall that seeks to keep the people of a particular caste away from the rest is a shame on every Indian. Can the wall prevent the wind blowing from the side inhabited by Dalits passing the areas occupied by caste Hindus? Can it divide the groundwater into two parts and prevent one side from flowing into the other? I am sure many more Uthapurams are waiting to be exposed. Electrified walls are temporary. Unless we demolish the iron walls that exist in people’s minds, the demolition of brick walls will serve no purpose.

K.P. Mari Kumar,

Madurai

* * *

The wall that divides the people of the Madurai village is symbolic of the extent to which casteism has eaten away into the vitals of the nation. It is shocking to learn that we still have among us people who think they are ‘superior’ to others and deem it their right to keep ‘inferior’ people from entering their territory.

Such behaviour is similar to that of animals which mark their territories. Immediate action should be taken against the perpetrators.

Sumathi Chandrashekaran,

Chennai

* * *

The dividing wall of Uthapuram has exposed the abhorring caste divide that exists in our country, particularly in the rural areas. In spite of incidents of such atrocious behaviour by ‘upper’ castes, the upwardly mobile and the so-called educated sections have nothing but disdain for laws protecting Dalits and reservation, which is frustrating. It is time they were shaken out of their delusion that Dalits live cosy life.

They should reflect on the sufferings of the downtrodden rather than quote instances of misuse of the law in a few cases to justify its abandonment.

Kasim Sait,

Chennai

* * *

The State government’s swift action of removing the electric wires attached to the iron rods on the Uthapuram wall is commendable. It is unfortunate that even in the 21st century, caste discrimination exists and many forms of untouchability are still practised. One hopes the government will take swift remedial measures as it has done in Uthapuram.

A. Jainulabdeen,

Chennai

* * *

The existence of a wall to prevent Dalits from accessing public utilities smacks of untouchability of the worst kind. The economic condition of Dalits has improved since independence but discrimination and violence unleashed on them by ‘upper’ castes have remained a continuous occurrence in our country.

Only when Dalits and other disadvantaged sections lead dignified lives will social justice become a reality.

M. Jeyaram,

Sholavandan

* * *

I am very happy that the electric wires have been removed from the wall that prevents Dalits from entering the area inhabited by caste Hindus in Uthapuram. The credit for this goes to The Hindu and the Tamil Nadu government.

But while we can remove electric wires and knock down walls, who will remove the deep-rooted caste prejudice from the minds of caste Hindus? The government should take some positive steps to eliminate casteism.

T. Murugesan,

Chennai

* * *

I belong to the Uthapuram village. Dalits constitute a majority in the village and the so-called caste Hindus are in a minority. In 1964 and 1989, there was violence between the communities, which affected the Dalits as well as the caste Hindus. Other than these two major incidents, there have been no caste tensions and the communities have been coexisting peacefully. Dalits move freely in the village purchasing grocery from caste Hindus and the latter buy their vegetables from Dalits. Even the panchayat president was elected with the help of caste Hindus’ votes.

The caste Hindus constructed the wall on their land (for which they have a patta) with a view to protecting themselves and not for the reasons reported. Some vested interests are trying to portray a picture of caste discrimination in the village. I request officials and the media to visit Uthapuram and ascertain the facts for themselves.

S.P. Murugesan,

Tirupur

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