A Dalit youth’s last wish to have a panchayat office built on the main road of the village remains unfulfilled despite a month passing by after he sacrificed his life for the cause.
Vijay of Kadaneri village in Srivilluputhur Taluk committed suicide after the former panchayat president openly stated that he would allow the Dalits to construct the panchayat office on the main road only if a Dalit ended his life, the youth’s father and panchayat president in-charge P Rajagopal claimed. “We have been facing discrimination from the Caste Hindus in the village for many years now. My son Vijay committed suicide only after former village panchayat president Alagarsamy openly told in the village that only if a Dalit committed suicide, he would allow us to built the office along the main road,” said Rajagopal.
However, the sacrifice has borne no fruit as the Caste Hindus are adamant in their stand in not having the office built in the residential area, said Dalit community members of the village.
Ironically, the Caste Hindus in the village don’t even allow Rajagopal to occupy the chair allotted for the president in the panchayat. “They force me to sit on the floor in the panchayat office, while the other ward members and office-bearers sit on the chair. My son also knew about the humiliation I underwent in the panchayat office,” Rajagopal told Express.