The Hindu : Congmen protest neglect of Dalits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 16, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Congmen protest neglect of Dalits

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai Dec. 15. The first meeting of the State Congress executive opened today on an embarrassing note of dissent as a senior party activist loudly protested the "neglect of Dalits" in the party and staged a walk-out in full glare of the media.

Just as the meet unfolded with a national anthem, a party senior, Kamaraj, a supporter of the former Union Minister, M.Arunachalam, rose to fling accusations against the AICC secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu, Ramesh Chennithala. As the executive watched the show of dissent in a daze, Mr. Kamaraj left the hall after shouting, "Dalits have been sidelined. It is very unfair."

Minutes later, the party's Dalit MLA, K.Paramalai, though disapproved Mr.Kamaraj's expression of protest, agreed with his view that the Dalits had been denied their due in the revamped set-up.

For her part, the former Union Minister, Jayanthi Natarajan, complained about the low representation given to women in various posts. She is believed to have said that only about 15 of the over 500 posts had gone to women, which was "unfair".

The former TMC men, who were denied posts in the unified Congress, are said to have voiced their dissatisfaction.

Party insiders say the former Salem district president, Marimuthu, tried to raise the issue of communities with less than one per cent population in Salem walking away with key posts, while the majority Dalits and Vanniyars were given near nil representation.

The TNCC working president, E.V.K.S.Elangovan, he is said to have taken a dig at the pro-AIADMK section in the party.

If party functionaries were unwilling to take on the Jayalalithaa Government for its "failures and faults", they could quit the party, he reportedly said.

Sources say the former TMC MLA and TNCC general secretary, K.S.Alagiri, attempted to push in a resolution condemning the practice of segregating BC/ Dalit and Brahmin students in hostels at an educational institution run by the Kanchi Mutt. But it was shot down by most key party functionaries.

Several party functionaries, including the former TNCC president, M.P.Subramanian, who quit from the Political Affairs Committee, dissatisfied with the post given to him, did not turn up for the meeting.

However, downplaying the open show of dissent at the meeting, Mr.Chennithala said the Dalits were not being neglected. However, if there was a "problem" it would be addressed.

As for the pervasive sense of dissatisfaction in the party over appointments, he said, the Congress was not the only party with such problems.

Moreover, the media was playing up the squabbles and not focussing on internal problems of other parties.

However, on the resignation of Mr.Subramaniam, he said, he was a senior leader and that his "concerns" would be sorted out.

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