“Due To Caste”: Woman Panchayat Leader Made To Sit On Floor

October 10, 2020 nowbuzzing1920

A photograph showing an elected woman panchayat leader sitting on the floor during a meeting she ought to preside over while others sit on chairs has sparked outrage in Tamil Nadu and exposed the deeply entrenched discriminative practices.

The woman seen in the photograph of the President of the Therku Thittai village panchayat and belongs to the Adi Dravida community, a Scheduled Caste.

Also, the woman was elected to her post, a reserved seat, last year.

CHECK OUT THE WOMAN’S STATEMENTS

“I was not allowed to hoist the national tricolour during the Republic Day in January. The panchayat vice-president said that his father would hoist the flag instead. He and three other ward members, all caste Hindus, insulted me and also forced me and another Dalit ward member Suganthi to sit on the floor during meetings while the rest sat on chairs”, she said.

Adding to that she said,“The situation has now reached a level where continued silence would only strengthen their attitude and hence I have decided to speak out.”

POLICE ACTIONS AGAINST WOMEN’S CASTE DISCRIMINATION

A panchayat secretary in Cuddalore district has been suspended after it came to light that Rajeshwari Saravana Kumar, president of Therku Thittai Panchayat, belonging to the Scheduled Caste, was forced to sit on the floor during panchayat meetings.

The police have also booked a case against panchayat vice-president Mohan Raj, a caste Hindu, under Section 3 (1) (r) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Ms. Kumar, whose panchayat falls under the Mel Bhuvanagiri block, spoke about the harassment and discrimination she faced from caste Hindus, including Mr. Raj, after a photo of her sitting on the ground while other members were seated on chairs at a panchayat meeting went viral. The meeting was held in July.

Collector Chandra Sekhar Sakhamuri told the sources on Saturday that the matter was brought to the notice of the administration on Friday.

The panchayat secretary has since been suspended in connection with the incident, he said.

CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT CASTE DISCRIMINATION FACED BY THE PEOPLE IN TAMIL NADU

Despite laws banning untouchability and caste-based discrimination, these are still practiced across Tamil Nadu, with 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.

In many villages there are also designated areas for Scheduled Castes to live and they are not allowed 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.

Until 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.

Those who 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.

As a result, women from these communities continue to be sexually abused.

In Tuticorin district there have even been reports of dogs adopted by members of the oppressed communities being forced to stay away from those adopted by the “upper castes”.

Moreover, there are also separate cremation grounds.

However, the Scheduled Caste communities are politically divided and are not strong vote bank.

The Dravidian political parties in the state are unwilling to crackdown on these atrocities as the “upper castes” are, by contrast, a strong vote bank.

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