A petition is being submitted through the Lieutenant-Governor, Burma, on behalf of the Rangoon Dravidians and Pariah Mahajana Sabha of Madras. In the petition the petitioners enter an emphatic protest against the grant of Home Rule to India at the present stage. They appeal to the Secretary of State to safeguard their interests as a community in the reforms proposed to be formulated by the Government. The petitioners view with abhorrence the contemptible use of the word “Pariah” as applied to the community, as it is now synonymous with everything that is mean and degrading. Petitioners, some of whom are graduates of recognised universities, are afraid of calling themselves as panchamas or pariahs, on account of the social restrictions placed on them by other caste Hindus, who often boycott them in public offices. They pray many shall be represented on the Provincial Legislative Council, Municipal Councils and Local Boards of the presidency. They shall be provided with additional schools and drinking wells by Government. Facilities shall be afforded by Government to acquire land. They shall be given free education, the ancient and proper name ``dravidian’’ shall be given, and recognised by Government instead of the name ``Pariah’’. They shall be given communal representation in any scheme of reform that may be given to the country at large. A department of enquiry consisting mainly of European officials shall be created to listen to the grievances of Panchamas and the Panchama graduates in particular and to recommend them for a position of trust and responsibility without submitting them to competitive examinations, along with members of more advanced communities especially Brahmins who have a regular monopoly of gazetted appointments.
