Villupuram caste discrimination: Here’s why Dalit students missed their revision test

The Dalit people say panchayat president R Manivel, who holds a block-level secretary position in the DMK, is inciting hatred against them.

By Krithika Srinivasan

VILLUPURAM: About 40 Dalit students in Melpathi village near Koliyanur block in Villupuram district on Monday couldn’t turn up for their ongoing revision test as caste Hindus raised a hullabaloo against providing a van for ferrying Dalit children to school.

The section of caste Hindus (Vanniyars) opposed providing van facilities to ferry the Dalit students to school. Two vans were extended by authorities for the safety of the children in the aftermath of the high-handed and discriminatory behaviour of Vanniyars towards the Dalits.

It may be recalled that a Dalit youth K Kadhiravan (22) and his brothers were barred from entering the local Shri Dharmaraja Draupati Amman temple by the Vanniyar people on Friday last. The siblings were beaten up by the caste Hindus.

Against this backdrop, police said two vans were provided to ferry Dalit children to the government middle school. The caste Hindu people protested and children in one of the vans had to be sent back “in a bid to prevent tensions.”

“We were first scared to send our children to school. But the police assured us of safety and took one batch of 20 students in a van. Soon after, some caste Hindu villagers argued with the police, and so the second batch of 40 students were sent back home,” said a 38-year-old Dalit resident of the village.

The students apparently missed their ongoing revision test. School Headmistress A Sharmiladevi told The New Indian Express, “All the students who entered the school in the morning are safe in the classrooms. They will write their exams. We will also try our best to bring more students from their homes, with the help of the revenue department.”

Residents of the Dalit colony alleged that panchayat president R Manivel, who holds a block-level secretary position in the DMK, was behind the whole incident and it was with his support that the caste Hindus were inciting more hatred against the Dalits.

The sham of a “peace talk”

Meanwhile, K Kanimozhi, sister of 22-year-old Kadhiravan (22), who along with his two brothers were beaten up by Vanniyar people for trying to enter the temple, has a complaint with Valavanur police. However, action on the complaint was temporarily withheld during the first “peace meeting” on Saturday. The meeting ended on a sour note and was re-scheduled on Monday, official sources said. But the caste Hindu representatives did not turn up on Monday, sources confirmed.

“We waited at the RDO office from the morning but none of the caste Hindus came. They even disregard the government officials,” said a peace talk committee member, representing the Dalits.

Villupuram RDO S Ravichandran failed to respond when TNIE tried to contact him.

K Kandhan, the victim’s father who was also allegedly assaulted on Friday said, “As the peace talks did not happen, we lodged a police complaint. Now, we demand that police arrest the accused immediately.”

Courtesy : TNIE

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