Sensitize people on 'no two paths' to burial grounds in TN: SC Commission

CHENNAI: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has asked officials in Tamil Nadu to sensitize people on having a common path leading to the burial ground and avoid discriminating against the Dalits in the State, Commission's Vice Chairman Arun Halder said here on Monday.

Moved by the plight of about 50 SC families in a district who were unfairly treated by the upper caste, Halder said he had asked the officials to do away with the separate path for the SCs and render justice to the community.

"I have asked the officials to sensitize the people by holding an awareness campaign at the district level. There should not be a separate path leading to the burial grounds for SCs. People should live in harmony," he told reporters here.

Also, he had directed the officials to constitute "scrutiny committees" at the district level to identify and cancel false community certificates provided to those who converted from Hinduism.

Asked about the status of the case involving State Backward Classes Minister R S Rajakannappan for allegedly insulting the Ramanathapuram Block Development Officer (BDO), Halder said the Commission had directed the forensic experts to expedite the process of verifying the authenticity of the video in which the Minister was heard insulting the BDO.