Incidents of discrimination against Dalits have increased after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam assumed power in Tamil Nadu, chief of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi Thol Thirumavalavan told a press conference here on Sunday.
Citing recent incidents, including the discrimination faced by the elected president of Kottakachiyendhal Village panchayat in Virudhanagar V. Karuppan, the VCK leader said atrocities against Dalits had increased since the new government came to power in Tamil Nadu.
Urging the Tamil Nadu government to put an end to such discriminatory practices, he said several elected Dalit panchayat presidents faced even physical threats from caste Hindus. He wanted the government to appoint a commission to enquire into such incidents.
He also pointed out the trouble faced by a Dalit family in Monchanur village in Namakkal district in cremating the body of a deceased person a few days ago. Opposition by caste Hindus delayed the cremation by two days and the VCK cadre who protested against the discrimination were arrested by the police, Mr Thirumavalan said adding that the party would organise a protest in Monchanur on June 14 to condemn the incident.
Protest demonstration
The VCK would hold a protest demonstration on June 13 in Chennai urging the Centre to remove a cartoon from the twelfth standard Social Science textbook that ridicules the anti-Hindi agitation and the students who participated in the protest, he said.
