The Hindu : Front Page : HC deprecates hostility against Dalits

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Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008
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HC deprecates hostility against Dalits

Mohamed Imranullah S.

MADURAI: The Madras High Court on Monday came down heavily on the president of Naloor panchayat in Virudhunagar district and others from the dominant community for preventing the construction of a library building because of the fear of Dalits getting enlightened.

Dismissing a writ petition filed by one of the villagers in the Madurai Bench, Justice K. Chandru said that all those who were opposed to the library were akin to Khalil Gibran’s description of a sheet of snow-white paper which remained empty in an attempt to be pure and chaste forever.

“Said a sheet of snow white paper, pure was I created, and pure will I remain forever. I would rather be burnt and turn to white ashes than suffer darkness to touch me or the unclean to come near me. The ink bottle heard what the paper was saying, and it laughed in its dark heart; but it never dared to approach her. “And the multi coloured pencils heard her also, and they too never came near here. And the snow-white sheet of paper did remain pure and chaste forever, pure and chaste and empty,” said the American Lebanese artist, poet and philosopher in his book titled “The Forerunner: His Parables and Poems published in 1920.” In the case, the petitioner had contended that the library, if constructed, would be used by Dalits thereby leading to caste clashes. He cited a resolution passed by the panchayat, against establishing the library in the proposed site, to support his contention. To this, Mr. Justice Chandru said: “It is not in the realm of this court to enforce every panchayat resolution without looking into its substance. If the prayer of the petitioner is countenanced, that will run counter to Article 17 (Abolition of Untouchability) of the Constitution.”

The Judge said it was high time the Collector called for the record and nullified the “communal resolution… as it expresses an obnoxious animus towards the details of the village.”

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