Three months in the life of a Dalit movement

AMMK is an organisation fighting for the rights of Arunthathiyars, a Dalit subgroup, near Coimbatore

in southern India. This is the report of its leader, Thangavel, for the last three months of last year.

October 2: Activist meeting. Mulanur union chairman Mrs. Kalaiyarasi participated as special invitee

and described the issues faced by Arunthathiyar presidents in panchayat administration and the

multiple ways in which the dominant caste people exploit Arunthathiyars’ labour by taking

advantage of their poverty. She advised Arunthathiyar men to respect their wives and avoid drink.

October 12: Saminathan (35) of Kallangiam village in Gopichettipalayam of Erode district took his

sick wife on motor cycle to hospital. On his way traffic policemen detained him at a checkpoint for

three hours, and his wife died at the scene. AMMK gathered people and staged a demo. A case has

been filed on the policemen.

October: The district collector awarded Rs 15 lakhs for a community hall in Kallipalayam village for

Arunthathiyar people following a campaign by AMMK. In this area Arunthathiyar families had been

unable to rent marriage halls because the upper caste owners of marriage halls never rent their

premises to Arunthathiyars.

October 17: A driver Selvarkumar

(22) of Nandavanampalayam village

was sentenced to 10 years for

raping a 9th standard girl in her

house in the same village in June

2012. The conviction came after

AMMK members filed a case.

The collector hears complaints in Kallipalayam

October 20: submitted petitions to get assistance for a disabled person from Nallur village and an Arunthathiyar handicapped girl from Valayapalayam village. Following our effort, five persons obtained assistance. October: During the last five years, more than 22 Arunthathiyar people from slums alongside the river Noyyal in Thiruppur have been killed in the floods and their huts badly damaged. AMMK activists each year render humanitarian services to the affected people. During October 2014 more than 600 houses were flooded but due to AMMK’s prevention activities people were alert and lives and properties were saved. November 3: Ramya (24) and Malathi (45), daughter and wife of Dharmaraj belonging to Ganesh

Nagar were cruelly raped and murdered. As police and administration were inactive in this case,

AMMK staged a road picketing, consequently the offenders were arrested.

November 7: A demonstration was staged near Gandhipuram bus stand in Coimbatore – to insist on the following demands: provide 6% internal reservations in the education, employment opportunities to Arunthathiyars. Prevent untouchability and atrocities on Arunthathiyar people. Implement properly the SC/ST PA Act, 1989. Provide personal lavatories in all Arunthathiyar families in Tamilnadu. Provide 2 acres of land to each Arunthathiyar family. Provide to all Arunthathiyar colonies, drainage, street lights, cemetery, concrete road, library, water tank, etc. November: AMMK activists submitted a petition to the district collector to give preference to Arunthathiyar community in provision of free goats in Thiruppur district, requesting free goats to 140 persons. All applications were accepted. Now these beneficiary families have found a way for their self sustaining income.

November 14: AMMK protested at police in Kudimangalam who failed to inform the family of

Arumgam of Rajampatti village, that he had died in a motorcycle accident.

November 17: AMMK staged a road picketing struggle on Avinasi to Seyur road condemning

improper water supply to Arunthathiyar colonies while supply to factories and upper caste

neighbourhoods was plentiful. The protesters submitted a petition to government officials of

Avinasi. Now the local administration has rectified the improper water supply.

November: Upper caste people occupied the cemetery land used by Arunthathiyar families in

Modavanthampalli village and banned Arunthathiyar people from using the land for burials. AMMK

members submitted a petition to the district collector. Now new cemetery land has been obtained

for Arunthathiyar people.

November 26: Arunthathiyar students went on a road picketing in a factory dispute. The affected

students have decided to quit their poorly paid jobs and asked the employers to return their

education certificates, but the management refused and ordered them to work for at least 3 years.

AMMK members supported the affected students and the company relented giving back their

certificates due to the pressure of the agitators. Now the affected 26 students have joined some

other good companies with high salaries.

November 26: Upper caste politicians and capitalists demolished the house of Kalimuthu, one of 40 Arunthathiyar homes on government owned wasteland in Thiruppur city. AMMK members surrounded the North Police Station and submitted a petition for remedy. A case was filed on the occupiers and measures taken to prevent them from occupying the land. Now Arunthathiyar people live in their houses without fear. December 4: AMMK petitioned the chief education officer of Thiruppur to improve standards after a viper was found in Devangapuram government middle school. 80% of children in government schools are Arunthathiyar while upper caste children go to private schools. December 4: AMMK organised a picket by sanitation workers in Avinasi union seeking abolition of

manual scavenging and death in service benefits. Six families of sanitation workers who died in

service were awarded Rs 1.5 lakhs each.

December 18: An Arunthathiyar college student Maharajan was murdered by dominant caste youths

at Valliyur village. AMMK sought the arrest of the perpetrators and compensation for the victim’s

family.

Activists in Valliyur after the murder

December 29: Demonstration seeking housing documents for 65 Arunthathiyar families in Uppiliyan

Thittu

December 30: Sanitation workers in Erode victimised for protesting about manual scavenging staged

a darna with the help of AMMK.

Over the three months four cases were filed under the Prevention of Atrocity Act, successful

petitions submitted for 98 houses, 92 toilets, 23 old age pensions, six water tanks, six burial grounds

and numerous other facilities.