Dalit women panchayat presidents seek more support from government, NGOs

If villages in Tamil Nadu should witness any robust activity, the State government should extend more support to them, said Scheduled Caste women panchayat presidents here on Saturday.

Participating in a State-level convention - Dalit Panchayat Presidents Speak Out - organised by Evidence, an NGO working for the rehabilitation of the SC/ST community, the participants pointed out functional issues and difficulties faced by them while discharging their duties as elected representatives.

The programme was categorised into three sections - atrocities against Dalit panchayat presidents in Tamil Nadu, challenges in the panchayat administration and untouchability issues faced by the panchayat presidents.

The Evidence Executive Director A. Kathir, in his introductory address, said that the organisation had recently conducted a research involving 114 elected panchayat presidents from the SC community across 19 districts. As a follow-up to the research and the outcome of it, the participants were brought here to address and share their tales.

Except for a few, a majority of the women panchayat presidents expressed concern over the disrespect and disappointment from people around them, who included the vice-presidents of the panchayats, officials such as panchayat secretaries and BDOs (Block Development Officers).

Venkatesh, a relative of a panchayat president Narasimha Murthy from Tharavendiram panchayat in Krishnagiri district, narrated the manner in which his uncle (Narasimha Murthy) was brutally murdered by a 11-member armed gang in August 2022.

“The deceased panchayat president had introduced a number of people-friendly programmes. He shared the income and expenditure of the panchayat on WhatsApp with people and opposed giving commission or taking bribe for public works.”

Shocked over listening to the sorrowful tale, the participants resolved to establish a federation comprising Dalit panchayat presidents in Tamil Nadu soon and voice against such atrocities by roping in NGOs such as Evidence, activists and advocates.

Panel members, including Writer Shalin Maria Lawrence, and High Court advocate Alagumani, said that after several decades, the Dalits had got political power. Against several odds, the elected representatives should achieve the goals.

When panchayat president Valarmathi from Perungamanallur panchayat in Sedapatti block of Madurai district said that she was unaware of the projects being executed in her panchayat. Blaming the vice-president and the panchayat secretary, she claimed that the duo had used the funds without her knowledge. She also said that petitions were submitted to the officials in Madurai district administration and there was no tangible action.

Appreciating a large number of participants at the convention, noted Human Rights Activist Manjula Pradeep, a lawyer and one of the foremost women leaders of Dalit movement at national level, said that the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe community had to face humiliation. It is not an easy task or job to execute the goals. People from the dominant class who were holding power for very many decades were unable to stomach that Dalits had come to rule.

Hence, the women leaders elected to the panchayat had to face character assassination and many more challenges, Ms. Manjula said and appealed to the women to make use of NGOs like Evidence and like-minded advocates who can fight it out through judiciary. She also said that the elected representatives had to question the role of police, the State government, the system around us and the role of law.

It was a daunting task that the SC/STs together had to change the mindset. Women hailing from Dalit community faced many issues than women from other castes. “Fight till the last. Don’t rest until the goal is achieved...” she summed up.

Advocate Fr. Santhanam suggested conducting workshops and sensitisation programmes for the panchayat presidents about the laws and the administrative hierarchy. The basics of laws and the Panchayat Raj system need to be disseminated.

A booklet - “Crimes in the name of honour - a national shame” was released by Suganthi of AIDWA and the first copy received by Kousalya, a honour killing survivor from Udumalpet.