NAGAPATTINAM: Floral tributes were paid by members of Left parties on the occasion of the 47th of Venmani Martyrs day at Keezhvenmani village in Nagapattinam on Friday. It was on this day in 1968 that 44 Dalit agriculture labourers at Keezhvenmani village, including 20 women and 19 children, were burnt alive for protesting against their landlord for better wages.
But, unlike previous years when thousands of communist cadres from across the State would throng the memorial located 25 km from the district headquarters, this year, cadres numbering only in hundreds gathered on Friday.
The recent heavy rainfall and flooding across the State and subsequent damage were cited by senior communist leaders as the reason for the event being a low-key affair. December 25 is observed by communist parties in the state as the Venmani martyrs day as a mark of remembrance of the sacrifice of 44 Dalit workers, including women and children, who laid down their lives protesting for fair wages. On that fateful night, the Dalit workers were allegedly locked in a hut and torched to death by the dons sent by landlord. On Friday, senior leaders of both the Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist) participated in the event.
Later speaking to mediapersons, A Soundararajan, CPM MLA from Perambur, Chennai, said, “Even now agriculture labourers and working class are struggling to get their fair share in wages proportional to their hard work. As Cauvery delta districts are renowned for paddy cultivation, it is a bitter truth that agriculture workers, citing various reasons, have been migrating to other districts and States seeking greener pastures.”
Chidambaram MLA K Balakrishnan hoisted the Communist flag at the memorial, while other leaders including Kizhvelur MLA Nagai Mali, and CPM district secretary A V Murugaiyan paid floral tributes at the granite memorial carved with the names of all 44 victims.
Recalling the massacre, a senior communist cadre P Chellamuthu from Kizhvelur, said, “It was a flash point for the rejuvenation of Communism across the State, particularly in the erstwhile Thanjavur district. After the murder of 44 villagers, the cause of admonishing casteism was taken up by many youth of our times.”