Key Points :
- Adi Dravida Community’s woman leader made to sit on the floor because she belongs to the Scheduled Caste.
- This issue took place in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore.
- The Vice President who forced her to not participate in any political ,social program or discussion amongst the Panchayat looking at her caste is now arrested and charged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A photograph has been widely shared where
an elected woman panchayat leader is sitting on the floor during a meeting she ought to preside over , while others sit on chairs.
This scene has sparked outrage in Tamil Nadu and exposed deeply entrenched discriminative practices in the southern state.
The District Collector in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore, where the incident took place, has suspended the panchayat’s secretary for failing to inform the authorities and has ordered a probe too.
The woman seen in the photograph is the President of the Therku Thittai village panchayat and belongs to the Adi Dravida community, a Scheduled Caste. She was elected to her post by a reserved seat last year.
She said,
“Because of my caste the Vice President does not let me preside over meetings . He did not even let me hoist the flag. He made his father do it. Although I was cooperating with the upper castes all these months, it is going overboard now,” she said.
The Vice President of, who is currently on the panel, is to be arrested and charged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Since recent years, laws banning untouchability and caste-based discrimination are bing discussed on , these are still such discriminating and insensitive people who deny others their basic human rights and allow such deeply saddening atrocities happening across Tamil Nadu.
It’s also said that there are restrictions on cooking utensils and crockery (“upper castes” refuse to eat food prepared by the “lower castes” or use plates and glasses they use) and dressing among others too.
According to the reports, even today in many villages there are designated areas for Scheduled Castes to live and they are not allowed to wear footwear when they pass through areas where the “upper castes” live. In the past many have been caught on camera carrying slippers in their hands in those areas.
A decade ago three reserved village panchayats – Pappapatti, Keeripatti and Nattarmangalam in Madurai district – had no Scheduled Caste candidates contesting out of fear of the dominant castes’ backlash.
On the contrary, those who made effort mts, fought and indirectly ‘dared’ to contest and win were forced to resign, making a mockery of the electoral reservation system to politically empower men and women from oppressed communities. And when it comes to safety and woman empowerment all that can be seen here is women from these communities being sexually abused.
More of such discrimination and narrow mindedness can be witnessed where there are separate cremation grounds created for the lower castes in order to kick them out of the so called upper caste community’s circle.
