The Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front has demanded the formation of a State SC & ST Commission with legal status and powers to intervene in issues relating to untouchability and atrocities against Dalits and find necessary solutions for them.
While seeking inclusion of secular thinkers and representatives of organisations fighting caste oppression in the district level vigilance and monitoring committees, the Front wanted the State government to strengthen these committees.
This was one among the many resolutions adopted at the first State conference of the Front held at Pudukottai on May 28 and 29. Tamil Nadu was one among the States where untouchability and atrocities against Dalits was high, the Front claimed while demanding the formation of the State SC & ST Commission without any delay.
Another resolution urged the State government to retrieve ‘panchami' lands across the State and hand them over to the Dalits. It wanted the government to take action as per law in this regard. The Front has decided to organise a conference of the ‘panchami' land retrieval movement at Kancheepuram.
It demanded steps for the implementation of the Forest Rights Act 2006 that guaranteed forest rights and land rights for the Adivasis and tribals.
The Front demanded higher allocation of funds for the Adi Dravidar schools and upgradation of such schools and wanted the State government to implement the SC & ST reservation policy for the posts of teachers and non-teaching staff in those schools and colleges which were functioning with 100 per cent government funds. Another resolution demanded the implementation of sub-quota for the Arundhathiyar community in Puducherry too.
