A Dalit woman panchayat leader in Sivagangai district has decided to resign following continued caste discrimination and harassment.
Rajeswari Pandi, hails from Kaalpirivu Panchayat near Manamadurai in Sivagangai district. Kaalpirivu Panchayat which was earlier a general constituency became a reserved one for the last election. Rajeswari, belonging to the Dalit community, was elected unopposed in the last local body elections as the Panchayat President.
It was reported that the Vice President of the Panchayat Nagarajan and other members were discriminating Rajeswari because of her caste background.
The Panchayat Council meetings are chaired by the Vice President Nagarajan who belongs to the AIADMK. Rajeswari alleged that apart other ward members of the Panchayat are being told by Nagarajan to not interact with her. She also complained that she was not being allowed to implement development schemes and perform her tasks adding that her bank passbook has also been withheld.
She has lodged several complaints with the Manamadurai Panchayat Commissioner but to no avail.
In light of this, Rajeswari has decided to resign from her post accusing the authorities of functioning in favour of the ruling party.