State Conference of Dravidar Kazhagam on Eradication of Caste - Untouchability
Resolutions Passed Unanimously in the State Conference of Dravidar Kazhagam on Eradication of Caste - Untouchability held on 19.3.2016 at the Periyar World, Siruganur - Trichy, Tamil Nadu
RESOLUTION 1 General Elections to the 15th Tamil Nadu State Assembly - Whom to Vote and Whom to Support? The Dravidar Kazhagam, the Social Revolutionary Movement, has got the responsibility and bounden duty to guide the electorate of the Tamil Nadu to whom they have to vote in the General Elections to be held for the 15th Assembly of Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK Government ruling the State for the past fi ve years has failed in almost all fronts. The AIADMK Government has not implemented the promises it made in its previous election manifesto, but was functioning for the past fi ve years only as a ‘Government of Announcements’. It is not in a position to point out any tangible progress nor has it anything to speak of their achievement. Not only the AIADMK Government has failed to start new industries and provide more employment opportunities to the youngsters of our State, but also dismissed from service the 13,000 people’s welfare workers even after Supreme Courts’ 2 intervention. It was not only a grave, unlawful and unjust but also action of vengeance having no sense of humanism, due to which nearly 200 of such employees committ ed suicide and the blot of this action can’t be removed so easily in annals of AIADMK rule. The AIADMK Government has converted the modern building constructed at a cost of Rs. 1200 crores to house the State Assembly and its Secretariat into a Multi Specialty Hospital, solely due to the reason that it was constructed by the D.M.K. Government. The AIADMK Government has tried through all possible ways to shift and destroy the Anna Centenary Memorial Library created at an expense of Rs. 172 crores during the celebrations as the commemoration of the Centenary of Arignar Anna, but failed in its att empts due to the interference of the Court of Law. Even then the AIADMK Government has undertaken various types of activities to paralyse the functioning of the library in which the High Court of Madras was kind enough to interfere and stayed its activities. The AIADMK Government has also shelved the scheme of construction of a Fly over at a cost of Rs.1816 crores from Madras Harbour to Maduravoyal that would have eased traffi c congestion from Port of Chennai. The AIADMK Government has proved itself that it was totally unworthy to be called as a Government for the People’s Welfare. It is also to be pointed out that the proceedings of the Assembly under the AIADMK rule are not in accordance with the established principles of democracy. During the recent natural calamity of heavy downpour of rains in and around Madras city, while the people were struggling to protect their lives and properties, the AIADMK Government was totally inactive and failed to take timely action and provide any succour to the aff ected people and 3 thus proved itself as an ‘Inactive Government’. It wanted publicity in the trouble traumatic pathetic situation. The AIADMK Government has limited its activities with mere writing of lett ers to the Prime Minister, even in the matt ers in which the State Government is expected to claim the rights for which the State is entitled. The AIADMK Government not only acted against the rational principles and philosophies of the Dravidian Movement, but also insulted the Dravidian legacy by changing the Tamil New Year day from the month of Thai (January) to the month of Chithirai (April) according to the Sanskrit calendar in which all the names of the years are in Sanskrit and thus the AIADMK Government behaved like a Aryan Government acting against the wishes and thoughts of leaders like Periyar, Anna and other great Tamil scholars and intellectuals. No one can repudiate the fact that the AIADMK Government was functioning like a satellite of the BJP Government at the Centre against the established principles of secularism and openly supporting Hindutva policies. Thanthai Periyar announced and started the great human rights agitation by demanding the appointment of people from all the castes as Archakas in Hindu temples and while undertaking the preliminary activities for this agitation, he breathed his last. Dravidar Kazhagam continues to keep this agitation alive during the days of Maniammai and afterwards, as a form of respect to the will and wish of Periyar. Even though Acts were passed twice in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, due to the hard eff orts of Kalaignar, the Brahminical forces tried to make them ineff ective by approaching the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court of India has pronounced its fi nal verdict on 16.12.2015 removing all the bars and obstacles in the appointment of people of all the castes as Archakas. Even after the President of the Dravidar Kazhagam has writt en a lett er on 21.12.2015 to the Chief Minister in this matt er, the Chief 4
Minister has failed to keep up the promise given earlier in Tamil Nadu Assembly and kept quiet without taking any action in this regard, which proves very clearly that the principles of human rights, removal of diff erences and discriminations in the name of caste and untouchability advocated and followed by Periyar and Anna are not acceptable to the AIADMK! Hence this Conference declares that it is the bounden duty of the electorate of Tamil Nadu to see that the AIADMK does not come to power once again. The NDA Government at the Centre under the leadership of the BJP exposes itself through all its activities that it was against the basic principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution of India. It is behaving violently in saff ronising the educational system and in imposing Hindi and Sanskrit. Similarly, from the manner in which the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Tmt.Sumitra Mahajan herself is openly conveying the stand of the BJP against the principle of Social Justice, and the anti-social justice policy of the NDA Government. The RSS, the mentor organisation of the political wing BJP, is also expressing openly their opinion against the principle of Social Justice. As there is a need and compulsion to oppose the NDA Government under the leadership of the anti-Social Justice and communal BJP from power, and as the Congress party is supporting strongly the introduction of the reservation policy in private sector also and seriously opposing the BJP Government at the Centre, this Conference feels that it is more important for all the parties contesting in this election to forge alliance of the Congress party with them. After a deep and far sighted thinking, this Conference declares that it is the bounden duty of the electorate to support the alliance under the leadership of the DMK including the Congress party and make it to win an absolute majority in this election. The electorate of Tamil Nadu is requested to support the alliance under the leadership of Kalaignar and DMK and support them to secure the massive mandate, taking into 5 consideration the larger interests of the people of Tamil Nadu cutt ing across all political affi liations.
RESOLUTION 2 The right of people of all the castes to become Archakas in Hindu temples - A request to the Government of Tamil Nadu In order to implement the system of appointing the people of all the castes as Archakas in Hindu temples for which Periyar had started his last agitation. The DMK Government enacted legislation and issued orders in 1970 and 2006. Three Committ ees were constituted under the leadership of former judges of the High Court, Archakas’ Training Centres were started as per the recommendations of these Committ ees, admissions were made following the principle of 69 per cent reservation and the successful trainees were ordained after Diksha. While the orders of appointment were going to be issued, the judgment in the appeal preferred by the Sivachariyars was pronounced on 16.12.2015. The judgment not only declared that the Act passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly as valid, but also rejected all the three pleas of the appellants. This Conference urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to appoint immediately without any further delay the 206 Archakas - already trained and given “Diksha” in Agama temples and other temples, in the absence of any legal bar, ban or the negative judgment of the Supreme Court. As there was no action or reply to the lett er writt en to Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Government by the President of Dravidar Kazhagam on 21.12.2015 and as it became evident that this Government is not interested in this issue, it was resolved to undertake a big peaceful picketing (agitation) in front of Government Offi ces with thousands and thousands of 6 volunteers, demanding the appointment of trained archakas of all castes in temples coming and not coming under the preview of Agamas
RESOLUTION 3 The need of action for Annihilation of Caste System and Untouchability (a) This Conference humbly requests the people of Tamil Nadu to reject the caste system and its bi-product known as ‘untouchability’, which are against the equality of humankind, rationalism, scientifi c temper and humanity and to lead a human life. (b) This Conference requests the Central Government to amend the Article 17 of the Constitution. Instead of the term ‘untouchability’ in Article 17 it should be changed to the term ‘caste’, for caste is the mother of untouchability. Caste abolition will provide us real democracy. To be more explicit, the Amended Article 17 should be read as, “caste is abolished and its any form is forbidden by law”. This has to be insisted on by the State Governments and equally by all progressive thinkers of the country. (c) This Conference urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to take immediate legal action without any further delay, against those instigating and promoting caste, fanaticism, communalism and violence through their words and deeds. (d) This Conference condemns the trend of using the caste identity for political gains and would like to point out that a particular new approach and thinking to divide people as Dalit and non-Dalit will render the society to the most dangerous consequences and those who are slogging for the social emancipation will not forgive and forget those indulging in such activities. 7
This Conference severely condemns the retrograde practice of killing the intercaste lovers and couples in the name of ‘Honour Killing’, which is nothing but utt er caste domino atrocity and the Conference is desirous of creating an awareness among the people in this regard and requesting the State Government to take a serious view of these off ences. (e) This Conference would like to point out from the angle of Social Justice that the people of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Backward Classes are trapped in a situation to undertake agitations to get their due rights and requests them to work with shoulder to shoulder. This Conference would like to warn them that unless they are united, the forces of Varuna-caste system will take upperhand. This Conference also requests the leaders of these marginalised communities to behave with social responsibility and without giving room for any amount of division, discrimination and enmity among them. (f) This Conference requests the Governments to strongly implement the Protection of Civil Rights Act (g) In order to inculcate the spirit that caste and untouchability are crimes against humanism and fraternalism in the minds of students at the initial stage itself, this Conference urges the Government of India and the State Governments to frame the school syllabus in such a way. (h) This Conference would like to announce that the identity of caste must be used only for the purpose of securing reservations and should not be used for any other purpose, just as poison is being used in medicines as anti-biotics. That use also will not be eternal but will be in vouge only till the att ainment of equality among all the people. (i) Individuals should not use their caste titles with their names. 8
(j) Nobody should wear caste identities like sacred thread known as Poonool. The practice of removal of this Poonool under the occassion of ‘Avani Avitt am’ should be banned. (k) This Conference urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to enact a law to remove the names of castes from the names of streets, roads, villages and commercial institutions. (l) Also to implement the Act of making trained members of all communities to become Archakas (m) This Conference requests that the children born in the wedlock of intercaste couples be announced as casteless people and a certain percentage of reservation be given to these children under Inter Caste Quota, that this percentage should be going on increasing. The enactments and rules may be made to reduce the reservation percentage of quota given with the caste identity.
RESOLUTION 4 Need for creation of Special Police Force to prevent caste and communal riots (a) This Conference urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to create a Special Police force to prevent caste and communal riots at the initial stage itself, just as there is a special police force to prevent theft of idols from temples. (b) The menace of two - tumbler system in tea shops, provision of separate cremation grounds and problems in carrying the dead through certain routes to the burial ground, the enmity between the people of various castes in celebrating local temples festivals exist even now. This Conference therefore would like to declare pointedly that action must be taken on the lines of military style to bring to an end such riots and discriminations that prevail in the name of caste. It was also resolved to undertake awareness campaigns in this regard among the people of the rural areas. 9 RESOLUTION 5 Need for a Common Burial Ground and Crematorium (a) This Conference severely condemns the practice of following the caste discrimination even in burial grounds and crematorium. This Conference urges that Common Burial Grounds must be declared compulsorily through enactment of a law and its implementation. It should also be declared that all the roads leading to the burial grounds are common for the people of all the castes. This Conference also urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to establish common burial ground and electric crematoriums in all places for the common use of people of all castes. (b) The practice of wearing of diff erent colour bands on their hands by the students, symbolising their caste identity easily to get identity is to be condemned severely. This Conference urges the State Department of Education to initiate necessary action to prevent this practice. This Conference urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to take action against anyone who is behind this evil practice and punish the guilty. (c) It is requested that the Governments both the Centre and the State should stop forth with the crude and inhuman practice of manual lifting of human excreta and carrying the night soil on the head. The children of these scavengers shouldpay adequate att ention by providing educational opportunities and other employment. (d) Unnecessary delay and dragging on is noticed in the issuance of Community Certifi cates to Purada Vanaars (washermen) declared and also as the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes communities people. This Conference also points out that denial of the offi cials that the Community Certifi cate can be issued only if they practice their hereditary profession is against the law and urges the Government to issue a circular to the Revenue authorities to stop insisting it. 10
(e) The involvement of the brokers is also noticed in the issue of the Community Certifi cates. This Conference urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to simplify the procedure for the issuance of Community Certifi cate in order to avoid the delay and unnecessary expenses incurred by the applicants to get this basic document. This Conference also urges the Government of India to simplify the procedure for the issuance of Community Certifi cates for admission into the educational institutions and for the appointment in Central Government jobs.
RESOLUTION 6 Let us save our Students and the Youth from alcoholism As redeeming the students and the youth of both sexes not only from the intoxication of alcohol and narcotic drugs, but also from the opiate of cricket, cinema, etc., has become the urgent need of the times and hence this Conference resolves to undertake an awakening campaign among the students and the youth. This Conference insists the State and Central Governments to frame a syllabus for school students in such a way as to create in them an awareness and to impart knowledge about the menace of alcoholism and various other opiate drugs and intoxications.
RESOLUTION 7 Bring ‘Liquor Prohibition’ immediately This Conference urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to impose total prohibition on liquor immediately without further delay, as the habit of consuming alcohol aff ects irrespective of age very badly the health condition of the consumer, fi nancial 11 position of the family, cordial family relationship, general conduct, ethics and character of an individual, besides disturbing law and order of the society etc. Hence this Conference strongly urges the Government of Tamil Nadu not give lame excuses of fi nancial crunch or illicit distillation. It is a shame on the Government.
RESOLUTION 8 Tamil Nadu’s Sad State of Aff airs losing the Due Rights
The river water rights and riparian rights of Tamil Nadu are continuously denied. Even after the orders were passed by the Cauvery Water Tribunal and also by the Supreme Court of India, the Government of Karnataka has been refusing to accept and honour the verdict, but acting contrary to the judgment. Though the Supreme Court of India ordered to appoint a Cauvery Regulatory Authority (CRA), the Government of India has not formed the CRA with narrow minded political aspirations. This Conference severely condemns the Government of Karnataka for its failure to abide by the verdict of the Supreme Court and the Government of India for not appointing the Cauvery Regulatory Authority.
Similarly the judgment of the Supreme Court in the matt er of Mullaiperiyar Dam has also not been implemented. With a motive to defeat the intention of the judgment, the Government of Kerala is making preparations for the construction of a new dam on the Mullaiperiyar river. This Conference requests all the political parties of Tamil Nadu to join together without any political reservations and fi ght against the designs of the Kerala State and to extend their co-operation for the eff orts the Dravidar Kazhagam undertakes in this regard. The AIADMK party, which is having the emblem of Anna in its fl ag, is advocating for the non-implementation of the Sethu Canal Project citing the reason that it was a bridge 12 constructed on Ram Sethu and it should not be destroyed. This Conference condemns the att itude of the AIADMK, glibly speaking in the voice of the Hindutva.
RESOLUTION 9 The need for the linking of rivers For the industrial and economic development of India, the linking of the rivers in India is a prerequisite. If there are any problems in linking all the Indian rivers at the same time, this Conference urges the Government of India that at least the linking of the South Indian rivers can be taken up at the outset.
RESOLUTION 10 Agriculture should be recognised as an ‘industry’ This Conference urges to comply with the longstanding demand of the Dravidar Kazhagam to recognise agriculture as an industry. The profession of agriculture is deteriorating day by day as it is considered as a sinful profession of Shudras and Panchamas according to the neo varnasrama dharma. But majority of the people of India have undertaken agriculture as their profession and livelihood. This Conference insists therefore that the Central and State Governments to extend all sorts of assistance and help to the farmers. It is also urged that the Governments should ascertain themselves about the needs of farmers and come forward to fulfi l them. This Conference also requests the Governments to formulate schemes to provide educational and employment opportunities to the children of farmers. 13 RESOLUTION 11 Restoring rightful and peaceful life for the Tamils of Eelam Though an Independent Tamil Government is functioning in the North and East Provinces of Sri Lanka, where the Tamils are living in large numbers, the Government is constrained to function only as a puppet Government. This Conference insists that the Government of Sri Lanka should come forward to accord atleast the status of functioning of the State Government on the same lines in which the State Governments in India functions. This Conference urges the international countries including India to give pressure in this regard to the Government of Sri Lanka. This Conference also urges the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) to conduct seriously and speedily, the enquiry into the war crimes framed against Mahinda Rajapakshe, the former President of Sri Lanka, to complete the enquiry and award punishment at an early date.
RESOLUTION 12 Needed guarantee for the day-to-day livelihood of the fi shermen of Tamil Nadu The incidents of the fi shermen of Tamil Nadu being att acked, their boats and other fi shing materials being confi scated by the Navy and the fi shermen of the Sri Lanka have become a regular feature like never ending story. The routine and procedural writing of lett ers by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to the Prime Minister of India and the usual contact made in a mechination manner by the Central Government with the Government of Sri Lanka and saying that att empts are being undertaken to sett le the problems of fi shermen of Tamil Nadu will serve no useful purpose and the people of Tamil Nadu are not prepared to accept anymore these casual explanations. 14
If the redemption of the uninhabited island of Kachatheevu is considered the only permanent solution for this problem, this Conference urges the Government of Tamil Nadu to give more pressure continuously to the Government of India. It was also resolved to undertake steps to unite all the people of Tamil Nadu for undertaking an agitation in this regard.
RESOLUTION 13 Tamil should be made one of the Offi cial Languages This Conference urges the Government of India to declare all the languages listed in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution of India as the offi cial languages of the country. Tamil should also be made the court language in High Courts This Conference insists the Government of India and the Supreme Court to declare the Tamil language as the court language for the conduct of the proceedings of the cases in the High Court of Madras
RESOLUTION: 14 Removal of symbols of religious worship from the road side Government Offi ces, Commercial Complexes and platforms As assured in the Preamble, the principle of secular state there are specifi c Government orders not to exhibit any portraits, idols or other symbols of worship in Government Offi ces which are considered to be secular, these orders are not seriously and strictly followed in many Government offi ces. This Conference urges the State and Central Governments to 15 take appropriate action against those who are deviating these orders of the Government. Already the Supreme Court has passed orders specifi cally that the places of worship of any religion should not be permitt ed to occupy any portions of the platforms on the sides of roads and other public places, these orders of the apex court of this land are not respected by the local Governments, but fl outed into the air. This Conference condemns such att itude of the Government and warns that the rationalists will not hesitate to fi le cases of contempt of court against the Government.
RESOLUTION 15 Abolition of Capital Punishment Taking into consideration that in many countries of the world, the system of awarding capital punishment i.e. death sentence to the accused has been given up, this Conference urges that the system of awarding capital punishment should be abolished in India also.
RESOLUTION 16 The present capitalist Central Government, following the Brahminism should be rejected by the people Since the present NDA Government at the Centre under the leadership of the BJP is nurturing like both of its eyes, Brahminism in the social sector and the philosophy of capitalism in the economic sector, besides encouraging multinational private capitalists, this Conference requests the public to identify and reject the anti-social, anti-labour and anti small traders Government of the BJP. 16 RESOLUTION 17 Prevent the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya disputed site Those who have unlawfully demolished the Babari Masjid at Ayodhya, are now trying to construct a temple for Ram in the disputed area. As this is against the judgments of the Supreme Court’s instruction, the att empt of the people who demolished the Babari Masjid to construct a Ram temple in that place, will lead to create a nationwide communal riots. This Conference urges that such att empts to construct a Ram temple should be stopped at the initial stage itself and suitable legal action has to be taken against those who are involved in this unlawful activity, preaching and encouraging violence. If the BJP, which has accepted the ideals of R.S.S., either directly or indirectly support the illegal and unjustifi able construction of a temple for Ram at Ayodhya, this Conference declares that the BJP and the NDA Government under its leadership is solely responsible for all the consequences of the construction of a Ram temple.
RESOLUTION 18 Sexual abuses and violence against women and the training needed for their self-defence The trend of increased number of cases of sexual abuses and violence against women creates a doubt in our minds whether are we living in a civilized world or not. This Conference urges the Central and State Governments to provide facilities in all schools for giving physical and mental training to the girls including the teaching of karate and gun-shooting, not only to defend themselves from the perversion of the male chauvinists, but also to take off ensive action wherever necessary. This Conference also urges the Government to be liberal in the matt er of issuance of gun license to women.