Members of the Makkal Desam Katchi petitioned the district administration alleging that Panchami lands that were to be distributed to Scheduled Caste (SC) residents, were illegally transferred to private individuals -- thus preventing disbursal to SCs, the rightful owners.
At the grievance redressal meeting on Monday, District Secretary, M. Xavier Irudhayaraj of the party said that at least 25,000 acres of Panchami land in Madurai were being held by members of different castes. “Legislators and bureaucrats all over Tamil Nadu act like they are empathetic to the Dalit struggle and want to eradicate untouchability. However, everyone talks and never acts,” he said. He added that apart from not providing Panchami lands in villages, rural upper castes continue to use derogatory slang against SC residents.
K. B. Karthikeyan, the party’s legal representative, said that the situation is not any better in cities. “In Ellis Nagar in Madurai, areas which are being termed as encroachments by the Madurai Corporation, are mostly Dalit settlements. The supposed notices sent by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board to these houses do not possess any statutory provisions under which the encroachments are to be removed,” he said.
Mr. Irudhayaraj said that District Collector T. G. Vinay must address the issues of the SCs before they begin protesting for their rights.
