Even as the members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are still fighting to get admission in the higher educational institutions run by the Centre, attempt is being made to privatise public sector units denying reservation in employment to the oppressed class, said State deputy general secretary of Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) K. Swaminathan.
Addressing the 4th Madurai district conference of the front here on Sunday, Mr. Swaminathan said that while Gautham Adani had emerged as world's third richest man, not even one Dalit had become dollar billionaire, he said.
On the other hand, out of the 1.64 lakh persons who had committed suicide in the country in 2021 as per National Crime Records Bureau data, 42,000 were daily wage earners and 20,000 were entrepreneurs. Stating that the economic policies of the country had direct impact on social justice and reservation policy, he said that privatisation of PSUs would deny reservation for the oppressed classes.
"Only one generation of the oppressed class has enjoyed the fruits of reservation, but the Centre is trying to put an end to it," he charged.
People fighting against privatisation and those struggling for reservation would have to join together, Mr. Swaminathan added.
Even 16 years after the Centre brought in legislation providing reservation in admission in higher educational institutions, data showed that Dalits were not given admission proportionately. Similarly, reservation for Dalits in recruitment of teaching facility was not implemented properly.
He said caste discrimination has attained a global reach with Dalits being discriminated in the U.S. and the U.K. by the casteist Indians living there.
Speaking on the occasion, Aathi Thamizhar Katchi founder G. Jakkaiyan said that though Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was inclusive of the crime of honour killing also, he said time had come for a special legislation to deal with increasing number of honour killings.
"How to deal with brutal killings in which parents themselves are perpetrators of crime against children involved in inter-caste marriages?" he asked.
The conference passed a resolution seeking special legislation to deal with honour killings. Tamil Nadu has faced 12 honour killings in the last five years.
"With caste domination still being a big menace in Tamil Nadu, the State government should bring about a special legislation to prevent honour killings," the resolution said. Couples involved in inter-caste marriages should continue to get police protection as per their wish and also they should get priority in education and government jobs, the resolution added.
The government should conduct a survey on existence of separate cremation yards for Scheduled Castes people and eradicate them by ensuring that all common cremation yard should have access to Dalits also.
Recalling that four people had lost their lives in asphyxiation while working in underground drainage systems, he said the government should ensure mechanisation of UGD cleaning and give up contract system of employment in cleaning works.
Panjami lands should be identified and handed over to SC people. Scheduled Tribes community certificate should be issued by relaxing rules and by direct inspection by officials for Malaivedan and Kattunayakkar community people in Madurai.
Funds allocated for SC welfare schemes should not be surrendered but fully utilised for their development. Efforts to eradicate untouchability should be taken and cases under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act should be registered without any compromise.
TNUEF State president T. Chellakannu, district secretary M. Balasubramanian, joint director, SOCO Trust. S. Selva Gomathi were among those who were present on the occasion.
