TENKASI: Scheduled Caste residents from Kurinjakulam, accompanied by VCK spokesperson Ku Kaa Pavalan, submitted a petition with District Collector AK Kamal Kishore on Thursday, seeking sufficient time to conduct New Year games for children on a government land that they have been using for around 50 years. They also met with Superintendent of Police VR Srinivasan in this regard.
In his petition, Nattamai of the SC residents, A Rajagopal, stated that restricting the games between 8am and 2pm left no time for prize distribution, and urged the district administration to permit the games during the day and hold prize distribution in the evening. The current time limit was imposed following opposition from the dominant caste residents of the village.
"The residents had conducted games on the land without any issues until 2019. However, in 2020 and 2021, they were prevented from doing so due to objections from dominant caste members who approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court against conducting the games on the land. Though the court had ruled in favour of the SC residents, the police and revenue department have been imposing the time restriction in recent years," Ku Kaa Pavalan told TNIE.
In 2023, children's games were organised on the land under tight surveillance, with barricades and around 200 police personnel were deployed. "The land belongs to the government and has been used by SC residents for decades. It is unacceptable that the district administration has imposed time limits, especially for children's and women's games. Revenue officials had informed the court that the land was used by SC residents. While the court did not order any time restrictions, the officials are imposing them on their own," Pavalan added.
Meanwhile, revenue officials held a peace committee meeting with regard to the issue on Friday evening and its proceedings will be released on Saturday. When contacted by TNIE, SP Srinivasan said the decisions taken during the meeting will be implemented by the police.
It may be noted that in the 2023 proceedings, then Revenue Divisional Officer of Sankarankovil S Subbulakshmi had ordered that caste outfits from outside Kurinjakulam and drunken audiences be prohibited from attending the games. As many as 15 other restrictions were also imposed.