Victory over Pathway for Dalit children

It was the true story at the village of Rangapuram when the Dalit group hoisted their flag and kept Ambedkar photo in the school, the other caste reacted immediately: closed the pathway in the village. 60 Dalit children of the village have been going to school through this pathway for many years.

Rangapuram is a village in Tirutani Taluk of Thiruvellore District in Tamil Nadu. In a part of the village, there is a clan for 25 Dalit families whereas the rest of portions of the village are for 150 families which belong to other higher caste. Dalits were treated untouchables and made to undertake menial jobs; such as, removing the dead, digging graves, and beating drums. Dalit children were sent to school which is located in other caste’s village.

Dalits demanded share in common properties in the village. Especially Dalits needed a share from the pond where fish is auctioned. The government officials intervened in the conflict. After the peace committee meeting it was decided to give over 1/3 share in all the income out of common properties in the village to Dalit residents. With opposition from other caste people, Dalits were, also, not allowed to hoist the flag at the common place – such as, near the bus stop which is closer to the caste village.

Tamil Nadu Dalit Women’s Movement (TNDWM) was about to handover a petition to the President of India when he visited Kancheepuram in 2005. But, the activists faced the problem which should not be happened in the biggest democratic country in the world- the members were arrested and remanded to custody by the local police. Dalit women were beaten up by the police. Leaders of Dalit Women’s Movement were stripped naked at the police station forcibly.

When the Taluk level officials visited the village, they were not allowed to measure the land by the landlords. Then, Dalit women petitioned to the ‘Adi Dravida Welfare Officer’ who visited the place to check the situation of the land. Numbers of meetings were conducted and the movement leaders visited the government officials many times. Due to the heavy pressurizing through the movement the land was successfully purchased from the landlords by the government for launching the pathway.

During the visit of the Block Development Officer to the village knowing this visit the landlord placed a ‘Trisool’ a symbol of temple to avoid land to be given to the Dalits. The officers visited the spot with the support of other villagers removed the ‘trisool’ and got the land back.

Dalits could mark a great achievement through resistance, mobilization and consolidation against caste oppression. The harassment to Dalit children was a part of higher castes’ intimidation for stopping resistance from Dalits. Children, meanwhile, had to take a long distance walk to the school. The higher caste community also conducted economic boycott by not employing the Dalits in agricultural work. Dalits had to struggle to survive everyday by looking for work in neighboring villages. But the higher caste villagers in Rangapuram bothered, all the way, the neighbors in order to prevent Dalits to get a job.

Despite of continuous obstacles given from other caste communities in the village, Dalits keep struggling for the betterment. As a result, finally on the 1-9-2007, the land was acquired by the Government. The pathway was prepared immediately and the land is in the hands of Dalit children. TNDWM would continuously mobilise Dalits in Ranagapuram in order to assert their rights.

Dalit women with all humiliations went on struggling to get the lands from the other caste so that Dalit children could attend school. With continuous protests finally the State bought the land from other community to provide the pathway. Dalit children who were prevented using the pathway are now able to go through the pathway.

Dalit women’s unity is strengthened through struggles.
The movement is growing strong through mobilization.

Unity is Strength

Tamil Nadu Dalit Women’s Movement–Chennai.