KANNIYAKUMARI: Stating that their demand to install a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar was not fulfilled for over a decade, Dalits from Arulgnanapuram in Erachakulam led by the Tamil Nadu Dalit Rights Protection Movement threatened to boycott the Assembly elections.
Speaking to TNIE, the Movement’s president Vai Dinakaran said that over 250 families reside in and around Arulgnanapuram. “In 2003, a bust of Dr Ambedkar, which was placed near the Arignar Anna stadium, was shifted and installed in Arulgnanapuram. However, as the bust was over 40 years old, Dalits in the area sought the district administration’s permission in 2011 to install a full-sized statue of Dr Ambedkar,” he said.
Subsequently, a statue was made at Mylady, but the police denied permission to take the statue. “Even though we sent representations to the revenue officials, police and other authorities, permission to install a statue was not granted. We staged protests for over a decade and also hoisted black flags. We also launched a month-long protest across the district in March, but the police denied permission after three days,” Dinakaran added.
V Anitha, a resident of the village, said that though permission was granted for other statues, it was denied for Dr Ambedkar’s statue sought by the Dalits. “We are deeply saddened by this,” she said.
While police officials said the district administration had to take a call in this regard, a senior official said that the land identified to install the statue was a water course ‘poramboke’ land. “If they show us pattas for the land, we will grant permission,” the official stated.