VILLUPURAM: More than 450 voters living in the Dalit residential area of Melpathi village have demanded a separate polling booth for fear of entering the caste Hindu locality to reach the existing booth. In April 2023, a number Dalit residents were physically assaulted and verbally abused for entering the village’s Draupadi Amman Temple.
In a petition to the collector on Friday, the Dalits said, “We fear the caste Hindus and their tactics of pulling us into conflict at every chance they get. The polling booth for Melpathi is located in the caste Hindu area and we do not feel safe going there on the polling day. Hence, we demand a separate booth for us to vote.”
Speaking to TNIE, 34-year-old Karthik (name changed), a Dalit resident, said, “It is not out of fear that we seek a separate booth, but for safeguarding our self-respect and dignity. A year ago, our relatives were chased and attacked by caste Hindus for entering the temple, after which we had to cut ties with them.
They also have stopped employing us as agricultural workers. None of them have been arrested for their violence and blatant caste discrimination to this day.” He further added that the government’s inaction and police apathy in handling the incident have led the Dalits of Melpathi to distrust the security provided by the governing bodies on polling day. “Elections cannot become one more reason for us to go through the same pain again,” he asserted.
One of the petitioners, a 60-year-old Dalit resident, told TNIE, “If setting up a whole new booth is not possible, at least let us cast our votes at the collectorate. We all will spend our own money to travel there on polling day. There is no way we will go into the oor (caste Hindu area) where we have been utterly humiliated for merely entering a temple.” He added that their proposal has also been conveyed to the DRO who met them on Friday.
Melpathi Dalits have proposed for a separate booth at the empty village service centre building located in their side of Melpathi. However, official sources stated that a booth can be allocated only if the voter count is above 1,500.
In response to the issue, Collector Palani told TNIE, “We have marked the Melpathi booth as a critical/vulnerable booth. There will be special protection by CRPF personnel, live webcam casting, state police force and micro observers will be deployed to ensure the Dalits can cast their votes in peace and no mishap occurs. Moreover, we have also warned the caste Hindu residents of severe police action if they pick a quarrel with the Dalits on election day.”