Peace meeting on Sep 12 in Anchetti caste issue in TN

Chennai, Sep 5 (IANS) With a minor issue of a car parking at Anchetti in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district threatening to snowball into a major confrontation between Dalits and Caste Hindus, the district administration has called for a peace meeting on September 12.

The peace meet that was called on Monday (September 4) was called off after both sides alleged that the other did not appear for the meet.

The issue commenced when a Caste Hindu shopkeeper, C. Kumaresan parked his car in a small portion of government land allegedly encroached by a Dalit person, M. Nataraj. When Nataraj objected to the parking of the car in the land, an argument ensued between the two and Nataraj lodged a complaint with the local police station. Police tried to pacify both sides.

However, later upper caste Hindus filed a petition against Nataraj for having encroached government land and erected a board of Dr.B.R. Ambedkar in the premises. The Anchetti Thahsildhar removed the board and erected a new board that it was government land and trespassers would be prosecuted.

This led to more issues, and Dalits complained that caste Hindus, who were running shops in the area, were ostracizing them and refusing to sell to them. This flared up the passions on all sides. Dalits and Caste Hindus are pitched against each other in the area with the possibility of a physical confrontation developing in the area.

A peace meeting called on September 5 was called off and Dalits alleged that they were not invited and they went back to their homes after standing outside the hall where the peace meet was held.

The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the Dalit political party of Tamil Nadu took up the issue and complained to the District Collector Krishnagiri, K.M. Sarayu, who promised strong action. The Dalits also complained that a government official had insulted them when they were waiting outside the conference hall.

--IANS

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