Urging the State and the Central governments to notify seven sub-sects of Scheduled Castes as ‘Devendrakula Vellalar’, Puthiya Tamilagam (PT) cadre observed fast in over 200 places in Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts on Tuesday.
The party is demanding seven SC sub-sects – Kudumban, Pannadi, Kadaiyan, Pallan, Kaladi, Vathiriyan and Devendrakulathan – be declared Devendrakula Vellalar instead of being identified by their sub-sects. The party also demands removal of Devendrakula Vellalar from the list of Scheduled Castes.
Though party chief K. Krishnasamy made these demands to the PT’s electoral allies – ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the BJP at the Centre – no formal notification has been issued in this connection by the State government.
Irked over this, the PT refused to support the AIADMK candidate in the Nanguneri by-election held last year and boycotted the election.
Later, the PT decided to organise State-wide hunger strike to press for the demand. In the fast organised at Oorudaiyankudiyiruppu here, PT’s election wing secretary Natarajan participated.
Similar protest was organised at various places, including Arockiyanathapuram, Suthamalli, Manur, Pappakudi, Cheranmahadevi, Mela Seval, Gopalasamudram, Kallidaikurichi, Puliyangudi, Vasudevanallur and Sankarankovil.