‘TN caste wall down,but Dalits still untouchables’

On Monday,the front members organised a protest in Madurai to urge the district administration to give Dalits the right to worship at a temple in the village,allow them to use a common pathway and permit construction of a bus shelter under the MP Local Area Development Fund — all of which were promised to them when the wall was brought down.

The members alleged that the police tried to disperse them,which led to further protests,including one in Chennai on Tuesday.

The ‘caste wall’ was built after a clash broke out between the Dalits and Pillaimars,a dominant BC community,in 1989. After the clash that reportedly claimed five lives from each side,elders of the 18 neighbouring villages decided to erect a wall to stop interaction between the two communities. The wall largely restricted Dalits from access to public roads.

“When we brought the case to light,there was much furore among the civil society,media. The state government was forced to act. Though it has been two years since that happened,nothing has changed,” said P Sampath,front convenor and CPM state secretariat member.

A Marx,a noted human rights activist who led a fact-finding mission to Uthapuram recently,said,“The ground situation at Uthapuram has not improved at all. The reopening of the road was a mere token gesture. The police thrash the Dalits whenever there is an altercation between communities. Only a month ago,14 of them were arrested. After they were released on bail,they were rearrested .”

District Collector C Kamaraj denied the allegations,while superintendent of police M Manohar said the CPM was politicising the issue.