A LAW should be enacted by the central government to provide reservation in employment in the private sector for Scheduled Castes, demanded Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of CPI(M) while speaking at the second state conference of the TNUEF (Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front) which was held at Virudhunagar.

The first conference of the TNUEF was held in 2010. The journey of the TNUEF began with the struggle for demolishing the untouchability wall in Uthapuram in Madurai district. The milestone for the TNUEF was when the most oppressed Arunthathiars were given the three percent inner reservation in education and employment. 28 temple entry movements have been successfully organised. In the memory of revolutionary leader Comrade B Srinivasa Rao, direct action programmes are being organised on his death anniversary, on September 30th of every year.

At the theoretical level, the TNUEF had succeeded to take the message that the struggle for the dalits is also a struggle for the whole society. The TNUEF could mobilise the all sections of people in the struggle against the untouchability and atrocities against the dalits. Around 40 lakh members have been integrated into the struggle for social justice by forging a common platform. In fact, various dalit organisations have become an integral part of the Tamilnadu Untouchability Eradication Front.

IMPRESSIVE

PREPARATION

The Virudhunagar district committee of the TNUEF had taken up the task of conducting the state conference in a massive way. Forming the reception committee was like saying, "Get, set, ready, go". Every nook and corner of Virudhunagar was filled by the volunteers of the TNUEF. They have collected funds from the people by explaining the reason and necessity of having such an organisation.

The second state conference was held from May 16-18, 2015. On the first day, the jyoti that was brought was in the memory of Comrade M Thangaraj, who was the district secretary of Madurai and who stood at the forefront of all the struggles in the southern part of Tamilnadu. The sudden death of Comrade Thangaraj was a great loss to the organisation. The jyoti was received by Comrade A Lazar, MLA.

A Lazar, K Swaminathan and SK Ponnuthai had presided over the conference. While the reception committee chairman M Oorkavalan welcomed the delegates, noted intellectual and grandson of Dr Ambedkar, Anand Teltumbde had inaugurated the conference. He gave a call to the TNUEF that the task should not end at eradicating untouchability alone, it should continue till the caste system itself is abolished. The social oppression and class exploitation are two sides of the same coin, he noted. He wondered how the Constitution that bans untouchability, gives space to caste.

P Sampath, in his presidential address, had explained the impact of the TNUEF in the state as well in the country, since it inspired various other states to form such organisations. M Veera Pandian, convenor, Tamilnadu Odukkapator Vaazhvurimai Iyakkam, organisation that is formed under the initiative of the CPI to fight against social oppression, greeted the conference. He underlined the need to fight against oppression unitedly. K Jakkaiyan, president, Athi Thamizhar Viduthalai Iyakkam had also greeted the conference.

DELEGATE

SESSION

K Samuel Raj, general secretary, had presented the report. 444 delegates that include 79 women took part in the conference. The financial report was submitted by                   R Jayaraman, treasurer, TNUEF. In the last five years, between the first conference that was held on May 28-29, 2010 and the present conference, various struggles like entry of dalits into temples, demolition of untouchability walls, putting an end to the multi-tumbler system at the tea stalls, hair-cut for dalits in the saloons etc were held.

The report said, in 214 villages of the state, struggles were conducted against various forms of untouchability. He explained how the official machinery, starting from the sub inspector of a local police station and to the level of district collector are apathetic to the cause of social justice and question the assertion of dalits by saying, "why do you want to change the custom?"  When a dalit youth wanted to wear a dress that was ironed, he was obstructed to do so.

On the second day, the delegates discussed the report and made constructive suggestions enriching it with their experiences. K Radhakrishnan, convenor, Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch, K Krishnaswamy, president, Puthiya Thamizhagam, greeted the conference. K Varadarajan, Central Committee Member of CPI(M) and Prof. Arunan had addressed the delegates during the session.

In the evening of the second day, many who stood against oppression, who wrote strengthening the fight against social oppression were honoured at a public meeting.               K Balakrishnan, MLA, Chandra Bose, president, Thiyagi Immanuel Peravai and SK Mahendran, vice president, TNUEF had greeted the people who have been honoured.   P Suganthi and J Rajmohan conducted this public meeting.

On the concluding day, the conference elected new office-bearers of the TNUEF. P Sampath and K Samuel Raj were re-elected as president and general secretary respectively. T Senthil Kumar was elected as treasurer. A new post of deputy general secretary was created. SK Mahendran and UK Sivagnanam were elected as deputy general secretaries. 13 vice presidents were elected. They are, P Shamugam, A Lazar, MLA, R Athiyaman, K Jakkaiyan, C Nicholas, G Anandan, R Singaravelu, R Krishnan, Nagai Mali, MLA, Dilli Babu, MLA, G Latha, Karuppaiah and M Chinna Durai. 13 secretaries were also elected. They are K Swaminathan, P Suganthi, Adhavan Dheekshanya, Bharathi Anna, G Ramasamy, SK Ponnuthai, PP Palanichamy, T Chellakannu, Chinnai Pandian, M Kandasamy, S Bala, C Murugesan and Uchi Magali.

Before this, Athiyaman, founder, Athi Thamizhar Peravai, Ravi Kumar, general secretary, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, P Chandra Bose, president, Thiyagi Immanuel Peravai had all greeted the conference. Resolutions were passed on putting an end to manual scavenging, modernisation of drainage cleaning, strengthening the PCR Act, Dr Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary to be celebrated as a government function etc. The conference also set the tone for future actions. Retrieval of panchami lands will be given priority, it was announced.

A massive rally was organised in the evening on May 18. Thousands of people converged at Desh Bandhu Maidan prior to the beginning of the rally. Heavy rain did not dampen the celebrative mood of the participants. The rally was well organised despite the rain and despite the attempts made by the police to stop the rally.

At the end of the rally, a public meeting was arranged. P Sampath, president, TNUEF presided over the public meeting. Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of the CPI(M) had addressed the meeting. He said that due to the liberalisation policies, private sector is flourishing, hence the need to have reservation in private sector.  He said a law should be enacted by the central government to provide reservation in employment in the private sector for Scheduled Castes.

While pointing this out, he said, in Kerala, due to the political advancement of the Left, caste atrocities could be brought to an end. Only by eradicating untouchability, we can think of creating a developed India. He also questioned that when caste-related issues had come to an end in neighbouring Kerala, why it should not be possible in Tamilnadu. It is unfortunate that dalits faced social oppression on the one side and economic exploitation on the other, he said.

The conference has enthused the rank and file of the TNUEF in a big way. There was a resolve among the cadres to take forward the decisions taken in the conference.