Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday (December 4) announced that the State Government would be recommending to the Central Government to include the seven Scheduled Caste sub-sects — Pallar, Kudumbar, Kadaiyar, Pannadi, Kaaladi, Vadhiriyar, and Devendrakulathar — in the Devendrakula Vellalar community.
CM Palaniswami said that the decision has been taken based on the recommendations of the committee set up to look into the matter.
A committee headed by Dr. S. Sumathi, Professor and Head of Anthropology Department, Madras University was set up to look into the matter following a request made to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisami.
Even after the committee submitted its report to the Tamil Nadu government, there were complaints that the Tamil Nadu government was delaying sending it to the central government. Meanwhile, another one-man commission headed by IAS officer Hansraj Verma submitted a report to the Tamil Nadu government.
The Devendrakula Vellalars have been asking for regrouping of Pallar, Pannadi, Kudumbar, Kaaladi, Kadaiyar, Mooppar/Vadhiriyar and Devendrakulathar under one title – ‘Devendra Kula Vellalar’. Parties like Puthiya Tamilagam headed by Dr. Krishnaswamy have also asked for the removal of the community from the list of Scheduled Caste.
However, Chief Minister Palaniswami said that the Devendra Kula Vellalars would continue to stay in Scheduled Caste list considering their current socio-economic status and that they would continue to receive the benefits meant for the Scheduled Castes.
தேவேந்திர குல வேளாளர் என பொதுப்பெயரிட்டாலும் 7பிரிவினரின் தற்போதைய சமூக, பொருளாதார நிலையை கருத்தில் கொண்டு பட்டியல் வகுப்பில் தொடர ஆய்வுக்குழு பரிந்துரைத்துள்ளது.
இப்பிரிவினர் ஏற்கனவே பெற்று வரும் சலுகைகள் தொடரும். இதற்கான ஆணைகளை மாண்புமிகு அம்மாவின் அரசு விரைவில் பிறப்பிக்கும். https://t.co/9Y98ZARG4H
— Edappadi K Palaniswami (@CMOTamilNadu) December 4, 2020
Dr. Krishnaswamy, founder head of Puthiya Tamilagam party called it another milestone in the history of the party. In his statement, he said that Puthiya Tamilagam has been fighting for the last 30 years to unite the 7 sub-sects under one name and be called as Devendrakula Vellalars. However, he added that the ultimate aim was to get delisted from the Scheduled Caste.
“Since 2017, we have been waging a series of intensified struggles. Following this, a committee headed by Hansraj Verma, a senior IAS officer in the Government of Tamil Nadu, was set up to look into our request and submit a report to the Government. Even after the committee submitted its report, the State Government continued to procrastinate, and on October 6, a hunger strike was held in more than 10,000 villages across Tamil Nadu on behalf of the Puthiya Tamilagam Party.”, Dr. Krishnaswamy said.
A hunger strike was held on October 6 in 10,000 villages inhabited by Devendrakula Vellalar farmers spearheaded by Puthiya Tamilagam Party asking for the removal of the community from the Scheduled Caste list and also for the regrouping of the community as ‘Devendrakula Vellalars’. The hashtag #RemoveUsFromSceduledCaste said to be initiated by the party’s youth wing leader Dr. Shyam Krishnaswamy trended for the day. However, this massive agitation got scanty media coverage in both Tamil and national media.
“We are not putting forward demands asking for salary raise or bonuses or lowering prices. A society that lived in a state of nobility and their own land to invaders was mistakenly included in the Depressed Classes during British rule.
“Knowing the past history of the community, instead of improving their living status by giving them their rightful land and education, the community was pushed into abyss by listing under the Scheduled Caste.” Dr. Krishnaswamy says.
He remarked saying that the state government’s efforts should be a ‘full moon’ and not end up as a ‘crescent’.