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Eliminate untouchability first: Karat

R. Rajaram

— Photo: M. Moorthy

CALL FOR SOCIAL REFORM:CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat addressing the first State conference of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front at Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu on Saturday.

PUDUKOTTAI: Annihilation of the caste system should be the goal and the first step in that direction is to eliminate untouchability, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat has said.

Untouchability was the worst feature of the caste system in the country, Mr. Karat said here on Saturday at the first State conference of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front. “Even after 62 years of Independence what we find in our society is that caste transcended all classes. Though the Constitution proclaimed equality, we still find it did not go with the ground reality,” Mr. Karat said.

Struggle against the caste system should go along with struggle against socio-economic and class exploitation, he said. What was needed was a social revolution which could not come without fighting and abolishing the caste system.

The Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front has been engaged in path-breaking activity over the last three years fighting all forms of caste discrimination and untouchability. Even people outside Tamil Nadu were looking up to the Front as an inspiration in their struggle against oppression. The Front should bring under its fold all those who were against caste discrimination and untouchability and it would become a genuine instrument in bringing about social change in Tamil Nadu, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Karat released a collection of short stories authored by Aadhavan Dheetchanya on atrocities committed against Dalits.

In his address, Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front convenor P. Sampath called for starting branches of the front at all levels within the State. The front had created confidence among the oppressed communities.

General secretary of the All-India Vivasayigal Sangam K. Varadharajan, CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan, party MLA S.K. Mahendran and All-India Democratic Women's Association general secretary U. Vasuki and others took part in the conference.

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