CHENNAI: The demand for reclassifying the six sub-sects - Pallar, Kudumbar, Pannadi, Devendrakulathar, Kadaiyar and Kaladi as “Devendrakula Vellalar” intensified on Wednesday with Devendrakula Vellalars in over 100 villages in Nanguneri Assembly constituency declaring boycott of the by-election. In Chennai, many outfits thronged the office of the government committee, headed by senior IAS officer Hansraj Verma, appointed to look into the issue and literally flooded the committee with representations.
Puthiya Thamizhagam founder K Krishnasamy, M Thangaraj, president, Thevendrar Thannaarva Arakkattalai (TTA), Madurai and P John Pandian, president, Tamil Nadu Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam were among those who met the committee. The committee also received a few petitions against the demand for reclassifying these sub-sects.
Expressing displeasure over the panel taking a very long time to finalise the report on this issue, Krishnasamy said during 1935, British government had inadvertently included Devendrakula Vellalars in the list of Scheduled Caste considering their economic condition that prevailed then. In other words, British government had thrust the Scheduled Caste stigma on Devendrakula Vellalar community.
Stating that his party had decided to boycott the by-election in Nanguneri constituency, Krishnasamy said the PT will also boycott the local body elections if the decision in this regard was delayed further.
Thangaraj told Express that “Only on the basis of ethnographic studies conducted by S Sumathi, Head of Anthropology Department, Madras University, we contend that these sub-sects are to be called by one name - Devendrakula Vellalar.”
He said Devendrakula Vellalars in 104 villages in Nanguneri Assembly constituency have declared they would boycott by-election and unfortunately, there was no move from the State government to stop this.
On Wednesday, representations signed by people from 40 villages were submitted to the committee.