Puthiya Tamilagam (PT) leader K. Krishnasamy has urged the State government to accede to his party’s persistent demand that Devendrakula Vellalars — comprising Pallar, Kudumbar, Pannadi, Kaalaadi, Kadayar, Devendrakulatar and Vadhiriyaar — be taken out of the list of Scheduled Caste communities before October 6, when the party is scheduled to hold its youth conference in Tiruchi.
Mr. Krishnasamy said that he had met Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to impress upon him the need to take the community out of the SC list, but that the State government had not been receptive so far.
“I met the Chief Minister in his chamber thrice. But I think the officials are not properly apprising him of the issue. I hope the government accedes to our request before the October 6 event,” he told The Hindu on Monday.
In May, while addressing party cadre at a public meeting in Virudhunagar, Mr. Krishnasamy said there would be major protests in the State if the Centre and the State government do not accept his party’s demand within six months.
Six-month deadline
With the six-month deadline set to expire on November 6, party sources said plans for future course of action would be spelt out during the October 6 conference if there was no favourable response from the State government by then.
“It has to be properly understood that the communities that fall under the ‘Scheduled Castes’ are not homogenous. This is also true of communities that fall under the so-called ‘Forward’ and ‘Backward’ classes. Just like how each of the Backward Caste communities has its own cultural identity, the Devendrakula Vellalars are also unique from other communities in the Scheduled Castes list. We are wetland farmers,” Mr. Krishnasamy contended.
“There needs to be an understanding on this issue from an anthropological point of view,” he added.
He dismissed the contention that the Puthiya Tamilagam cannot claim to be the sole representative of the entire Devendrakula Vellalar community.
“Did those who made the demand for a Dravidanadu have the full support of the people living in Tamil Nadu? Did the LTTE have the absolute support of Tamils living in North Sri Lanka?” he countered.
