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 Coimbatore: The August 2 issue of Puratchi Periyar Muzhakkam, a 4-page weekly newsletter brought out by Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, carried a list of tea shops in the western region where the practice of serving tea in separate glasses for the Dalits still continues.
Also known as ‘double tumbler’ system, this practice continues in the districts of Erode, Coimbatore and Salem.
It also carries the list of temples where Dalits are denied entry, saloons where discrimination is prevalent besides a list of places where Dalits have separate burial grounds.
Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam activists say the forthcoming issues would come out with lists from other districts in the State.
R Adhiyamaan, founder president of the Dalit movement ‘Athitamizhar Peravai’ says it is an exhaustive list. There are full addresses of the shopkeepers in some cases. “But I do not expect any corrective action from the authorities because that is how things are, He says. He recalls the death of a Dalit farm labourer Gopal belonging to Karavalasu village near Erode recently.
Gopal was reportedly bitten by a snake. But the Peravai maintained that he was beaten to death by his employer in whose farm he was toiling as a bonded labourer. Reason: He turned up late for work one day.
Although the police filed an FIR based on a complaint, their records say Gopal had died of snake bite, says Adhiyamaan. “When we staged a stir to protest against the death, we were branded as instigating the youth for some monetary gains,” he rues.
He also recalls his recent visit to Chinnamettupalayam village where the Dalits are not allowed entry into the local Vettaikaran temple. There are 62 Dalit families there.
(Source: The New Indian Express dated 18 August 2007)
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