NAGAPATTINAM: The 50-year anniversary of the Kizhvenmani massacre was observed in a village on Monday. G Ramakrishnan, State secretary, CPM, participated in a special procession to the memorial.
After urging landlords to offer a half measure of paddy as wages, 44 Dalit men, women and children were burned alive on December 25, 1968.
To keep the memory alive, thousands of Dalits, leftists and progressives visited Kizhvenmani on Monday.
Ramakrishnan told the media, “The massacre is etched in our memory. Even though we are struggling against landlords, exploitation of farm labourers is continuing in different forms. This should stop and we will not stop working for their rights.”
Speaking on the RK Nagar result, Ramakrishnan accused the Election Commission of not preventing parties giving cash to voters. On the 2G case verdict, he urged the CBI to appeal the judgment.
Ramakrishnan said a decision on entering into an alliance with the DMK for the Lok Sabha elections would be made at the appropriate time.
Cadre of Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam staged a protest demanding strict implementation of the provisions of Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe (prevention of atrocities) Act to end the caste discrimination.
The members gathered in front of Thanjavur Railway Junction and raised slogans.