Demolish untouchability wall before it creates social strife, activists warn Karur Collector

TIRUCHY: The members from Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) met the Karur District Collector, urging him to demolish the ‘untouchability wall’ constructed at Muthalampatti immediately, warning that any delay would create social strife.

The members of the untouchability eradication front also warned the Collector of organising protests with the support of Dalits if the wall isn’t taken down.

While the month-long protest by the Dalits to remove the ‘untouchability wall’ in their residential area led the officials to give assurance of a demolition, the TNUEF members on Friday submitted a petition with the Karur District Collector M Thangavel demanding to expedite the process. They cautioned the district Collector that the delay would further worsen the situation on the ground.

“Over 150 families from the dominant community reside at Muthalampatti in ward number 48 under Karur Corporation, while 45 families belonging to the Dalit community (Arunthathiyar) also reside in the locality. The Dalits are denied entry into the temple and the community hall in the locality. The dominant caste people do not allow the Dalits to wear footwear, which is a serious form of discrimination. It should be stopped immediately, which is possible only when the ‘untouchability wall’ is pulled down,” said TNUEF Karur district secretary R Muthuselvan, who led the delegation to meet the officials.

Subsequently, the members met the DRO M Kannan and demanded to raze the wall. The DRO said that a notice was served to remove the wall on August 4 and added that the wall would be demolished before August 13. Kannan also assured to construct an anganwadi, PHC, public toilet and overhead water tank in the particular land for the benefit of the Dalits.

The TNUEF members asked the DRO to expedite the process and complete the demolition on the promised date. It warned of organising protests, with the support of the Dalit residents and social activists, pressing for demolition of the wall if the district administration fails to act as per the assurance.

TNUEF Karur district president K Sakthivel, CPM District executive members C Murugesan, CR Raja Mohammed, and members from various other organisations, along with members from the Dalit community, were part of the team that met the officials over the issue.