POLLACHI: The scenic environs of Pollachi-Coimbatore’s most well-known tourist destination - may welcome outsiders with open arms, but when it comes to treating their own Dalit villagers, tea stall owners here follow the socially-abhorrent practice of the two-tumbler system.
The system, reported mostly in southern districts of TN, is prevalent in tea shops in many hamlets in Pollachi.
In many stalls, tea is served in disposable plastic cups to Dalit villagers, whereas for customers belonging to the so-called upper castes, it is served in a glass. Worse, tea shops in villages such as Guruvekoundenpalayam, Kappilipalayam and Mettuvavi, have come up with an innovative two tumbler system to deceive authorities in case of a surprise inspection.
“At the tea stalls in these villages, separate tumblers for Dalits are identified by dots marked in green or yellow at the bottom. In some cases, there is a cut mark on the top edge of the tumbler for Dalits,” alleged K Marimuthu, president, Makkal Viduthalai Munnani, a local outfit which fights for the rights of Dalits.
Tea shop owners, however, are hesitant to admit that Dalit customers were discriminated against and claim that they do not have separate tumblers for the caste Hindus. But a visit to most tea stalls proved otherwise.
While elderls belonging to the oppressed sections have accepted the practice, presumably out of fear for caste Hindus, Dalit youth have begun to assert themselves against the practice.
According to K S Nagaraj, district secretary, Periyar DK, several tea shop owners at Mannur, Chedimuthur, Vadakkipalayam and Sulakkal, coming under Pollachi north union, hide the separate tumblers meant for Dalits. “They have been clandestinely serving tea in a separate tumbler for Dalits ever since we stepped up our campaign,” he said.
Pollachi MLA Muthukarupannasamy, who hails from Mettuvavi, where the system is prevalent, is unwilling to acknowledge it. “I had put an end to this when I was the village’s panchayat president 10 years ago. In any case, I will check if the practice continues in neighbouring villages,” he said.
Marimuthu, however, said that the Revenue Department and Adi Dravidar Welfare Department should jointly take up a campaign in Pollachi’s hamlets to abolish the practice.
When contacted, Pollachi Sub-Collector Arunsundar Dayalan said appropriate measures would be taken after an inquiry.