Kattunayakan certificates given to two of a family
THOOTHUKUDI: Days after protest, the district administration has issued community certificates to two students belonging to a Kattunayakan family at Ammanpuram near Arumuganeri. One of the students, C Poovalingam, was unable to join a college course despite scoring big in his Class 12 exams. Tiruchendur revenue divisional officer denied them the requisite certificate stating that their family tree lacked clarity.
However, Poovalingam's family asked the RDO to reconsider his decisions. Sources said the family had produced documents of three blood relations with the community certificates from Thoothukudi district. Later, the RDO gave away the certificates to Poovalingam and his sister, Muthuselvi.
Speaking to TNIE, collector Dr K Senthil Raj said the certificate was given based on the establishment of the relationship of his mother with those having the Kattunayakan certificates in their family.
Poovalingam's parents Chinnadurai and Saraswathi had been filing petitions seeking the community certificate for their children since 2021. Tiruchendur unit of VCK had also staged protests demanding the community certificate for Poovalingam.