VILLUPURAM: Alleging caste-based discrimination by her subordinates, Aanangur panchayat president E Sangeetha (40) belonging to the Irular tribe on Tuesday petitioned the collector, seeking immediate action.
In the second complaint she has filed in two months, Sangeetha claimed deputy panchayat president Chitra Gunasekaran, a caste Hindu and her husband Gunasekaran, the DMK branch secretary in Aanangur, Gingee taluk have been actively hindering her efforts to carry out her responsibilities since she assumed office.
"The obstruction includes refusing to provide the digital key required to authorise essential panchayat functions, such as disbursement of workers' salaries and allocation of resources for basic amenities such as electricity, water, and roads," she said.
Sangeetha told TNIE, "I was subjected to continuous verbal abuse and casteist slurs." Despite being her subordinate, she alleged, Chitra would abuse me saying "an Irular woman like her does not deserve to sit on the panchayat president’s chair. Sangeetha alleged that her deputy had threatened her with physical harm if she intervened in administrative matters. The complaint further noted that Chitra’s husband among others threatened her life and had attempted to intimidate her into abandoning her position.
Despite multiple complaints to local authorities, including the block development officer and union chairman, Sangeetha claimed no action was taken. She said she was unable to cope with the discrimination and felt pressured into considering extreme measures.
She requested the collector to take immediate action against Chitra Gunasekaran and others involved. Further, she sought to revoke Chitra's authority to sign panchayat documents and restore full administrative control to her as the panchayat president.
Collector C Palani told TNIE that action would be taken after a departmental investigation.