The Tamil Nadu Government has provided a solution to one of the most sensitive and burning communal issues of recent times, ‘the untouchability wall’ situated in Uthapuram village nearby Usilampatti, Madurai.
The CPI(M) party has recently raised the issue of the ‘Untouchability Wall’ and has even given an ultimatum to the Government to remove it on or before May, 31, lest the CPI(M) party will proceed to dismember it. Mr.Prakash Karat, the General Secretary is due to visit the village on May, 7 th.
Realising the gravity of the situation, the Madurai District Collector Mr.Jawahar, had visited the village and had an on the spot survey.
On the instructions given by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, a portion of the wall which has been built in ‘Porambokku land’ was dismantled, thereby paving the way for the movement of the people of all the communities on either side of the wall and providing access to the nearby streets.As per the instruction given by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, even an artificial entrance is being built.A heavy strength of police personnel has been deployed,in anticipation of any untoward communal flare up.
However, a large portion of the ‘untouchability wall’ remains untouched, since it has been built on the patta lands of as many as 15 persons belonging to caste hindus.
Protesting over the action taken by the Government, the caste hindus of Uthapuram village have vacated the village enmasse and they have now camped at the nearby hilly areas, till the Tamil Nadu Government gives them an assurance of safety and non-iterference in the internal affairs of the village.As many as 320 families have already surrendered their ration cards to the RDO.
Meanwhile, members belonging to the political parties like DMK, PMK, Congress I, CPI(M) etc have thanked the Government for providing an amicable solution to the sensitive communal problem.