A long-pending demand met at last
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The demand of the communities — Devendrakulathan, Kadaiyan, Kalladi, Kudumban, Pallan, Pannadi and Vathiriyan — that they be often called ‘Devendrakula Velalar’ has been round for lengthy.
Since 2015, the demand has grown louder. Later Puthiya Tamilagam president K. Krishnasamy picked up the strands of the demand. Mr. Krishnasamy additionally desires the group faraway from the Scheduled Caste listing, a proposal that a number of leaders of the sub-sects oppose.
A Dalit historian mentioned the thought behind the sub-sects being introduced below one umbrella was to have a major voice whereas they put forth their calls for. “As several sub-sects, they are not able to mobilise the number. When they are brought under one roof, to put it that way, it would ensure that the Devendrakula Velalars are seen as one and have a larger number of people putting forth their demands,” the historian mentioned.
In an interview to The Puucho in 2018, Mr. Krishnasamy mentioned the Devendrakula Velalars have been a wetland farming group however their lands have been taken away throughout invasions many centuries in the past. During the British rule, they have been seen as marginalised and poor and have been, subsequently, included within the SC listing.
‘Feel robbed’
Sushil Rajkumar, advocate, Madras High Court, who’s a part of the Devendrakula Velalar Samooga Paadhugappu Kootamaippu, mentioned that whereas they weren’t towards the identify change, “we now feel robbed of our traditional Pallar name and the historical significance attached to the name”.
The historian mentioned the difficulty gained prominence as a result of the BJP noticed the area for gaining a foothold within the State. “The DMK and the AIADMK sat on the demand over the years as the balance of power in south Tamil Nadu rests with the Thevars. The BJP saw that this issue had not been addressed for long, and jumped in to take credit,” the historian added.
An MP from Tamil Nadu, who didn’t wish to be quoted, mentioned the BJP was making an attempt to realize political mileage from the difficulty however a mere change in nomenclature wouldn’t higher the lot of the Scheduled Castes and way more needed to be carried out for them.
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