Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Another farcical exercise to be notified?

By R. Ilangovan

MADURAI FEB. 19. The biannual ritual of holding polls for the reserved village panchayats of Pappapatti, Keeripatti and Nattamangalam in Madurai district has begun.

The State Election Commission has asked the district administration to notify vacancies, for which the elections will be held in April. Along with local bodies in other districts, where vacancies exist, the controversial panchayats will go to polls, for the 12th time in succession in six years.

While Nattamangalam villagers boycotted the previous polls totally, Pappapatti and Keeripatti villagers fielded Dalit candidates of their choice in a bid to con the Government. But after electing them unopposed, they forced the winners to resign immediately.

Despite repeated demands from social and political fora, the Government has remained noncommittal on this burning issue, which, in fact, has eroded grassroots democracy. Social scientists point out that lack of will on the part of the district administration has resulted in denial of political empowerment of the Dalits in the villages. This, they say, is against the very spirit of the Constitution.

The administration silence over the National Commission for SC and ST demand that a committee, be formed to sensitise the villagers, is equally disturbing. In fact, the commission slammed the administration for its "failure" to create an atmosphere congenial to ensure a `free and fair' poll in the volatile and caste-sensitive villages. A senior official, however, says that the Collector forwarded a suggestion on the formation of the committee, but the Government till today remains unresponsive.

Meanwhile, a field study by a team of lawyers from the Tamil Nadu unit of the All India Lawyers Union has pointed out that this unique problem, which challenges the very validity of grass-roots democracy, is being approached as a mere law and order issue than one of social significance.

The study suggests that holding polls without concerted efforts will be an exercise in futility. It highlights the "adamant attitude" of caste Hindus, who have a whole bag of tricks, to scuttle the poll exercise. "Permitting a Dalit to become president will mean incurring the wrath of their Gods. Even the Dalits in the villages have started believing this," claims the AILU general secretary, M. Subramanian, who led the team to the villages.

Pappapatti, birthplace of the former MP, Mookaiah Thevar, is being considered by Piramalai Kallars the second sacred village after Pasumpon, birthplace of their leader, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar. But the travails of Nattamangalam Dalits go beyond caste card, though it plays a vital role in stalling the democratic exercise.

The sly involvement of a few powerful contractors is suspected. The contractors, all Piramalai Kallars, hate to stand before a Dalit president to obtain permission for any work.

The lawyer team, which included Kumar and K. Murugesan, suggests that a committee, representing social and democratic forces, be involved in creating an awareness among the villagers.

The Government should distribute land to the landless Dalits.

Meanwhile, the Virudhunagar district administration is taking efforts to conduct polls for the Kottakatchiyendal reserved panchayat, which also boycotted three previous elections.

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