Steel barriers raised to kill Schedule Castes' bus dream in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur?

CHENNAI: In a disturbing incident of alleged caste discrimination, a group of dominant caste members at Tiruvallur’s Vishnuvakkam village have raised a tall steel grill, in public view, at a site earmarked for setting up a bus stand that would benefit 800 SC families.

Members of the SC community charged that the grill was raised only to prevent the construction of the bus stand there. The SC families, who live in a village named Perathur, at present have to walk about three kilometres to board a bus. Recently, they met the district authorities and submitted a petition requesting them to set up a bus stand in an open space located in Vishnuvakkam, near Perathur.

Shortly after this, members of the dominant caste erected steel grills in the open space that is poramboke land. “The main road crosses through Vishnuvakkam, and a bus stand could be set up there. But the dominant caste members feel if there’s a bus stand more people from our hamlet will start coming to their village to board buses. They do not want our presence there,” charged Kalayarasan, from Perathur village.

Issue will be addressed, say district officials

Kalayarasan said bus facilities would help each of the 800 SC families. “The dominant caste members don’t want us to cross their village.” The SC families plan to lodge a police complaint and have written to the Collector. District officials admitted the grill was on poramboke land, and said the issue would be addressed.

Symbol of power 
The SC members said they believe the steel grills  erected are a subtle act of caste discrimination by the dominant caste members to convey: “Don’t enter our village”