PARAMAKUDI
Alleging that the DMK and the AIADMK governments have suppressed the rights of Devendra Kula Vellalars, Puthiya Tamilagam leader K. Krishnasamy has said the community will pull out of the list of Scheduled Castes and a formal announcement to this effect will be made in Chennai on October 6.
Talking to reporters after paying homage to Dalit leader Immanuel Sekaran on the occasion of his 60th death anniversary here on Monday, he said the people of the community had been demanding for several years that the birth and death anniversaries of Immanuel Sekaran, an identity of Devendra Kula Vellalars, be organised as official events, but the two governments did not consider their demand.
As it became evident that the governments headed by both the parties pampered Devendra Kula Vellalars only to make electoral gains, there was no point in remaining in the list of Scheduled Castes. After the October 6 conference, he would undertake a State-wide tour and decide the future course of action, he said.
A few elements might oppose this view as they never believed in upward mobility, which was accepted by all communities in the world. “They want us to remain suppressed as ‘Harijans’ and Devendra Kula Vellalars, but we believe in upward mobility,” he said.
Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam founder John Pandian rejected Dr. Krishnasamy’s view, stating that this was his personal view and Devendra Kula Vellalars would never fall in line with him.
With members of the All India Devendra Kulam, he would meet Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami soon and press for a charter of demands, including bringing the six sub-sects in Scheduled Castes under the common name of Devendra Kula Vellalars, 10% exclusive reservation for them and official status for the birth and death anniversaries of Immanuel Sekaran, he said.
He would soon organise a massive rally in Chennai in support of the demands, he added.
