Led by Adi Tamizhar Katchi, a group of people belonging to Arunthathiyar community in Santhaiyur village near Peraiyur staged a protest on the Collectorate premises on Monday, demanding immediate dismantling of a compound wall erected by another Dalit community in a poramboke land in the village, allegedly to deny them access.
Blaming the district administration for its alleged inaction in bringing down the wall, the villagers alleged that the wall had been erected by the Paraiyar community people with the intention of denying them entry to poramboke land around the temple. Claiming that the construction of the wall was a case of discrimination observed within the Dalit communities, K. Jakkaiyan, president of Adi Tamizhar Katchi, alleged that the Paraiyar community was exerting pressure on the district administration for not demolishing the wall.
“It is a simple problem. No one can construct a wall in poramboke land. Why is the government hesitating to dismantle it at once,” he asked.
Alleging the other Dalit community for observing other discriminatory practices, including blocking of sewer lines running through their streets, an Arunthathiyar woman said they could not live with dignity unless the wall was demolished.
When contacted, a revenue official said the wall was constructed on poramboke land.
“However, it was constructed as per an agreement brokered between the two communities by a landlord from nearby Keezhapatti village,” he said.
According to him, problem arose when the Paraiyar community people objected to paving the narrow street adjacent to the compound wall.
“There are few other issues between the two communities as well, because of which the wall has now become a focal point,” he said.
Stating that a meeting will be organised with the two communities, he said that the wall had to be demolished if the meeting failed to amicably resolve the issue.
Earlier, tension prevailed during the protest when the more than 100 men, women, and children gathered for the protest resisted the attempt of police personnel to detain them.
They were, however, detained subsequently by the police and released later in the evening.
