Untouchability Eradication Front warns of direct action

Food for thought 

"My religious conversion is not inspired by any material motive. This is hardly anything I cannot achieve even while remaining an Untouchable. There is no other feeling than that of a spiritual feeling underlying my religious conversion. Hinduism does not appeal to my conscience. My self-respect cannot assimilate Hinduism. In your case change of religion is imperative for worldly as well as spiritual ends. Do not care for the opinion of those who foolishly ridicule the idea of conversion for material ends. Why should you live under the fold of that religion which has deprived you of honor, money, food and shelter? " Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

The Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front, affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), will get into direct action to open the pathway leading to the agricultural lands of Dalits, which was allegedly closed by a caste-Hindu family at Kalkeri village in Denkanikottai taluk, P. Sampath, State President of the Front, said here on Thursday.

Raising voice:P. Sampath, State President, Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front, addressing a demonstration demanding action against a caste-Hindu family responsible for closing the pathway to the agricultural lands of the Dalits in Kalkeri village at Denkanikottai on Thursday.

In his address at a demonstration organised by the Front before the Taluk Office in Denkanikottai, he said that in spite of several rounds of peace talks conducted by the revenue authorities, the atrocities on Dalits continued in the village.

Mr. Sampath accused the police of failing to take action against those indulging in the atrocities and those who blocked the pathway.

If the authorities failed to remove the block within a month, the Front will launch direct action.

Temple entry stir

He said due to the temple entry agitation of the CPI (M), the police escorted the Dalits into the temples in the village on January 1, 2009. Angered over this, caste-Hindus blocked the pathway.

Peace talks were conducted by the District Revenue Officer and subsequently by the Sub-Collector, Hosur on June 4 this year after which the pathway was opened in the presence of the Tahsildhar of Denkanikottai the next day. But it was closed again.
Source: The Hindu dated 24.12.10