Members of the Arunthamizhar Vidhuthalai Iyakkam have demanded political reservation for Arunthathiyars in Tenkasi and the Nilgiris (reserved) Lok Sabha constituencies.
This was among the several resolutions adopted by the outfit at its general body meeting here on Sunday.
The other resolutions passed included increase in compartmental reservation from three per cent to six per cent in both private and public sectors, to provide three per cent reservation for Arunthathiyars in political front, effective implementation of the Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act and abolishment of manual scavenging.
K. Jaggaiyan, State-Coordinator, Arunthamizhar Vidhuthalai Iyakkam, said Arunthathiyars had made representation in the Lok Sabha polls, only thrice since Independence. He condemned the political parties for practising political discrimination against the community in Tenkasi and the Nilgiris Lok Sabha (reserved) constituencies that have a sizeable Arunthathiyar population.
Even the present AIADMK regime had gone back on its promise to hike the three per cent reservation for Arunthathiyars in employment and educational opportunities, the members charged.
On manual scavenging, Mr. Jaggaiyan said that several deaths had been reported across the State in the recent days.
“Though accident victims and their families get relief, the government does not provide ex-gratia to the kin of the manual scavengers who get killed while on duty. Hence, the practice must be abolished by the government,” he added. Arunthathiyars form a sub-sect among the Scheduled Castes and the poorest among them are concentrated more in the western districts of Coimbatore, Erode and spread across many other districts.
The members of the Iyakkam said that they had decided to support that political party which promised to fulfil the above demands. Representatives of the outfit from various districts took part in meeting.
