A sea of people belonging to the Devendra Kula Vellalar community took out a massive procession in Madurai headed by Puthiya Tamilagam party leader Dr. K. Krishnasamy, demanding to be delisted from the Scheduled Caste.
பட்டியல் வெளியேற்றத்துடன் தேவேந்திர குல வேளாளர் அரசாணை இலக்கை அடைய, மதுரையில் மாபெரும் பேரணி தலைவர் டாக்டர் கிருஷ்ணசாமி அவர்கள் தலைமையில் துவக்கியது.!#RemoveUsFromScheduleCaste pic.twitter.com/eVNYgDL9jF
— புதிய தமிழகம் கட்சி (@PTpartyOfficial) January 6, 2021
On Wednesday (January 6), several thousands of people thronged the temple city following the clarion call given by Dr. Krishnasamy who has been leading decades long struggle to regroup the seven sub-sects – Pallar, Kudumbar, Kadaiyar, Pannadi, Kaaladi, Vadhiriyar, and Devendrakulathar — into Devendra Kula Vellalar and to get the community delisted from the Scheduled Caste.
Historic Crowd with a historic demand!
No media will show you this!50,000 strong Devendra Kula Vellalars take out a procession in Madurai demanding to be delisted from Scheduled caste.
This is the new social justice. #RemoveUsFromScheduleCaste pic.twitter.com/0LCg3VoqOz— Shyam Krishnasamy (@DrShyamKK) January 6, 2021
Dr. Krishnasamy urged the Government of Tamil Nadu to issue a Government Order (G.O.) at the earliest finalizing the regrouping of seven sub-sects and to remove the community from the Scheduled Caste list. He said that it was unfair of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to begin his election campaign without issuing a G.O in this regard.
“What is the need for branding one community as ‘depressed’ and ‘downtrodden’?” Dr. Krishnasamy said highlighting that the Devendra Kula Vellalars were a vibrant agricultural community who were hailed in the Tamil Sangam literature and added that they were mistakenly included as ‘Depressed Class’ during the British rule.
“A society that lived in a state of nobility was pushed into abyss by listing under the Scheduled Caste.”, he said.
“It is because we have been kept in the Scheduled Caste list that we are not able to live in brotherhood and harmony with people from other communities”, Dr. Krishnasamy said noting that this was one of the reasons why they want to break away from the shackles that has been imposed on them with the term ‘SC’.
He lamented that even those get elected as independents to Parliament and Assembly do not pay heed to the problems of the Devendra Kula Vellalars adding that other political parties have enslaved people of the community and treat them as mere vote banks to grab power.
Dr. Krishnasamy said that the removal of Devendra Kula Vellalar from the list would not hamper any community’s reservation benefits and that their demand was to provide 6 per cent reservation to the community. He also said that the community can survive by doing business and is willing to forego all benefits of being listed under Scheduled Castes.
“I hope Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami would decide on the issuance of the G.O. after seeing this crowd” Dr. Krishnasamy said and added that he will not be meeting the Chief Minister until these demands are met.
“There will be no compromise on the matter of getting us removed from Scheduled Caste”, Dr. Krishnasamy said categorically.
Speaking about the role of Puthiya Tamilagam in the upcoming Assembly elections, Dr. Krishnasamy said that decision regarding that would be taken at an appropriate time. He said that the Puthiya Tamilagam party was strong enough to win 40 seats by contesting alone.