In an alleged case of discrimination between two Dalit communities, Arunathathiyars in Santhaiyur village near Peraiyur in Madurai district have accused Paraiyars of erecting a wall in poramboke land around a temple to deny access to them.
Apart from denying access near the Raja Kaliamman temple, which is under the control of Paraiyars, Arunthathiyars alleged that the 50-foot-long wall blocked access to two streets on which they lived on different sides of the temple.
“Now, we have to go around the wall to go from one street to another. Although it is not too far, after the construction of the wall, the narrow unpaved lane near it often gets inundated with knee-deep sewage or rainwater which we have wade through,” said M. Perumal, an elderly woman from the Arunthathiyar community.
“They are even opposing the laying of concrete on the lane, which will at least prevent it from getting clogged,” said C. Gurusamy, who served as a reserved ward member in Santhaiyur panchayat. He added that the wall had also prevented the construction of an anganwadi for both the communities, which was planned in the poramboke land. “It is instead functioning from a small rented house,” he said.
P. Kuruvammal, another Arunthathiyar woman, alleged that Paraiyars residing in the streets nearby blocked the sewer lines often. “They say that our sewage water should not flow through their streets since we do conservancy and graveyard work and are therefore inferior,” she claimed.
The issue reportedly started when the Paraiyars, who are a minority in the village, tried to fence the temple in 2012. “After we raised the issue with the district administration, it was removed and they were asked not to erect a fence around the poramboke land,” said Mr. Gurusamy.
The wall, however, was erected at the same place roughly a year ago despite opposition from Arunthathiyars, he said. “Although they reside in a different part of the village, caste Hindus also opposed the wall since it was illegal,” he said.
Alleging that multiple representations made to revenue officials and police went in vain, K. Palani Murugan, another person from the community, said the wall had already lead to quarrels. “The last incident happened in January, with police filing cases against both the communities,” he said.
M. Karuppasamy, belonging to Paraiyar community, however, countered the allegations. Admitting that the wall was on poramboke land, he said that it was constructed in agreement with Arunthathiyars in the presence of village elders. “They are free to come inside the compound. We have erected the wall only to safeguard the temple,” he said.
He, in turn, blamed Arunthathiyars for discrimination. “Our children do not go to the anganwadi located in their street since they scold them,” he said. He also alleged denial of worship rights at a temple under the control of Arunthathiyars. “The quarrel in January happened because they blocked movement of vehicles in one of their streets,” he claimed.
Petition to Collector
K. Jakkaiyan, president of Adi Tamizhar Katchi, which submitted a petition to Madurai Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao on Monday, said that they approached the Collector after multiple attempts to amicably resolve the issue failed. “We did not want to blow up the issue since both are oppressed communities,” he said.
Denying allegations of discrimination by Arunthathiyars, he said, “All other issues between the two communities can be sorted out. The wall should be demolished first.”
The Collector has ordered an inquiry by the Revenue Divisional Officer, Usilampatti, and its demolishment if it is in violation of law.
