People's Democracy

Wall Of Shame Brought Down

CPI(M) Calls It A Historic Day

CPI(M) Tamilnadu state secretariat has issued the following statement on May 6, 2008

A part of the untouchability wall in Uthappuram of Peraiyur taluk of Madurai district has been demolished in order to make way for public use. This action has been taken by the district administration at the behest of the Tamilnadu government. The CPI(M) state secretariat welcomes this first step and congratulates the state government and the district administration for this.

The different forms of untouchability prevalent in this village came to light through a survey conducted by the Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) in February this year. It was also found out that it was built for the purpose of preventing the dalits from entering the places where other people lived. Immediately the CPI(M) demanded the state government to intervene in the matter and remove the wall. A protest demonstration was also held in front of Peraiyur taluk Office on April 29, 2008 reiterating the same demand. In such a background Prakash Karat, general secretary of the CPI(M) was also to visit Uthappuram on May 7, 2008.

In the meantime, the state government and the district administration intervened in the matter and had discussions with the dalits and others. But as no agreement was forthcoming, they had resorted to this action of removing a part of the wall. The state government and the district authorities should pursue this task and take such other actions as demanded by the dalits, such as total removal of the wall, removal of encroachments near the peepul tree and those on the Kanmoy poromboke land, construction of a shelter in the bus stop, diversion of the sewage canal running through the dalit area, ensuring the right of the dalits to worship and to their traditional rituals and religious practices.

The CPI(M) requests the government to create conditions in the village that would promote amity among the various social groups and also order for special funds towards the development of this village.