Congress demands action against accused who made Dalit Sarpanch in Tamil Nadu sit on the floor, didn't let her hoist flag

Expressing deep pain and anger over discrimination against a Dalit Sarpanch in Tamil Nadu, president of the SC Department of the All India Congress Committee Dr Nitin Raut has demanded stern action against the upper-caste vice president for forcing her to sit on the floor during the panchayat meeting.

Raut said that he was shocked to know from a media report that Rajeshwari S, an elected president of Therku Thitthai Panchayat in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, was forced to sit on the floor during a meeting that she was presiding when the upper-caste panchayat members and vice president Mohan Rajan were sitting on chairs.

“Rajan even didn't let her hoist the flag since she was elected as President of the Panchayat from a reserved seat last year,” Dr Raut said, adding that despite the laws banning social discrimination and untouchability, it was painful to learn that it was still practised in Tamil Nadu.

The senior Congressman from Vidarbha said he has learnt that the vice president allegedly didn't allow her to preside over the meeting as she belonged to the Adi Davidar community.

“She belonged to SC and she was facing discrimination due to her being a Dalit. The viral video of her sitting on the floor despite being president has shocked the whole nation,” said Dr Raut.

He said that as a leader from the Dalit community and the national president of the SC Department of the AICC, he was pained to know the gross discrimination against Dalits in Tamil Nadu.

The minister has written a letter to the Governor of Tamil Nadu in this regard and demanded action against the accused. Raut, who is Maharashtra's Energy Minister, stressed the need to immediately cancel the membership of the accused Panchayat members and to take immediate legal action against them.

Writing to the Governor, he said that social discrimination was deeply entrenched in Tamil Nadu where scheduled caste people were discriminated against by the upper-caste people imposing severe restrictions on their lives and were deprived of their democratic rights.

He has requested the Governor to ensure strict implementation of the SC/ ST Atrocities Act to prevent such events in the future and also launch social awareness campaigns to end discrimination against Dalits and women.