The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Threat to boycott polls

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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Threat to boycott polls

R. Arivanantham

Denial of community certificate cited as reason

talking tough: Nomads with their bulls in front of their makeshift huts at Boganapalli, near Krishnagiri, on Friday.

KRISHNAGIRI: About 300 voters here have decided to boycott elections in protest against the denial of Scheduled Tribes certificate to them.

Known as ‘boom boom mattukaran,’ they usually lead a nomadic life. About 50 families are living at Boganapalli, near Krishnagiri, for the last five decades.

They earn a living by bringing their decorated bull trained to shake head whenever a question is posed to it, to houses, shops, establishments.

If it shake its head up and down it denotes ‘yes’ and if it is sideways the answer is presumed to be ‘no.’ There are about 250 to 300 families spread over Boganapalli, Savalur near Kaveripattinam, Hosur and Periyamuthur.

Only 12 families at Boganapalli have valid ration cards. This has resulted in they not being eligible for the ‘Re. 1 a kg rice’ scheme.

Better life

K. Kannan, leader of the group told The Hindu that they wanted to engage in some other profession and lead a better life.

“We want to give good education to our children. When we approach education institutions, they demand community certificate. From where will we get it?” he asks.

Many of our attempts to get the certificates have gone in vain.

He cites the example of P. Devan who is studying Plus-One at Government Higher Secondary School in Orappam, near Krishnagiri. He is yet to get a community certificate.

It will affect his higher studies once he complets Plus-Two, says Mr. Kannan.

Same is the case with M. Krishnan who studied up to Standard X at John Britto School in Anniyalam village.

He scored 344 out of 500 marks but could not continue the studies because he do not have a community certificate.

Now he has engaged himself in construction works. K. Suresh, who failed in the SSLC examination has a different story to tell.

He attended an Army recruitment rally in Salem and Bangalore with a letter from the Village Administrative Officer. But his candidature was rejected for want of community certificate.

In Villupuram, Jayamkondam and Cuddalore these people are given community certificate as Aadhiyan, falling under Scheduled Tribes. They have also demanded houses under various government schemes.

When about 10 persons contracted chicken pox in the last three months, no government official visited the colony to provide treatment, said Murugesan.

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