‘Ensure SC panchayat presidents are allowed to hoist Tricolour in Tenkasi’

TENKASI:  The members of TN Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) have urged the district administration to ensure all SC panchayat presidents are allowed to hoist the national flag at their panchayat offices on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Indian independence. 

In his petition to Collector P Akash, Taluk Secretary of TNUEF, E Balu, alleged S Palthai, woman panchayat president of Mayamankurichi was not allowed to hoist the tricolour during the last Republic Day as she hails from an SC community. “Instead, it was vice president Kannan, a caste Hindu, who hoisted the flag. The district administration must ensure this doesn’t happen in any panchayat,” Balu said in his petition. He also urged the authorities to give protection to the SC presidents when hoisting the Tricolour.

An activist, Ravikumar, said though the boundary boards of every panchayat have the name of the respective president, the boards in Mayamankurichi did not have Palthai’s name. “After I raised the issue, the wrote her name on it. She was not invited to the inauguration of new government buildings including an anganwadi centre. She was not given due respect in the grama sabha meetings,” he said, adding that despite repeated insults, Palthai has not complained to the government.

Sources said Palthai is scared to complain as she has been working on the farm of Kannan for decades. “She was fielded by Kannan in the panchayat election, as Mayamankurichi is reserved for the SC community,” they said. 

When contacted, Collector P Akash assured TNIE that he would ensure all SC presidents of the district would hoist the Tricolour in their panchayats on Independence Day. “Whatever happened won’t repeat,” he said.