TN This Week: Cyclone Mandous Brings More Rain After Landfall, Tussle over Garlanding Ambedkar Statue

The cyclone Mandous made landfall late on December 9 close to Mamallapuram, some 60 km south of Chennai. Four people were killed in rain-related incidents, while hundreds of fishing boats were damaged. Several districts are receiving rain as a result of the pull effect after the landfall. 

On the death anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, the Sangh Parivar outfits attempted to saffronise the leader, making way for clashes between the supporters of the outfits and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) in several places across the state. 

A Dalit family in the Coimbatore district was forced to bury a dead body two kilometres away from their dwelling place, owing to opposition from the dominant caste to burial in the common burial ground. The discrimination of the oppressed communities in a progressive state like Tamil Nadu continues in various forms. 

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has approached the Supreme Court with a review petition on the reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS). 

A section of the secondary grade school teachers has announced to go on an indefinite hunger strike from December 27 citing disparity in pay since their appointment in June 2009.

While the farmers from Coimbatore are holding protests against the forceful land acquisition for an industrial park, a section of farmers from Trichy held a protest against the delay in the disbursal of dues from private sugar mills. 

NewsClick brings a roundup of the happenings in Tamil Nadu during the week.

MANDOUS WEAKENS

The pull effect after the landfall of cyclone Mandous is bringing widespread showers to several districts. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms in the districts surrounding Chennai along with Erode, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Theni, Dindigul, and Tenkasi districts.

Heavy rain and gusty winds were witnessed in the northern coastal districts, leading to rough seas and sea erosion. Hundreds of motorised and country boats were damaged in Kasimedu harbour in Chennai and other coastal districts.

SANGH OUTFIT CREATES CONTROVERSY 

The Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK), a Sangh Parivar outfit created controversy by putting up posters with photos of Dr B R Ambedkar in a saffron shirt and with holy ash on his forehead in Kumbakonam. The leader of the fringe group, Arjun Sampath, attempted to adorn the statue of Ambedkar with a saffron shawl leading to strong condemnation from other activists and political parties. The Madras High Court provided conditional permission to garland the statue to the leader. 

The VCK members blocked the BJP cadres from garlanding the statue of the leader in Thanjavur, which led to a tussle. 

DALIT FAMILY DENIED BURIAL RIGHTS

The refusal to the burial of a 102-year-old woman in Onnakarasampalayam village of Coimbatore district has exposed the plight of dalits in Tamil Nadu. The Gounder community objected to the burial in the common burial ground, forcing the family to hold the last rights two kilometres away from their dwelling place. 

The intervention of the government officials including the police proved insufficient to pacify the Gounder community, forcing the Arunthathiyar community to perform the funeral at a faraway place. 

DMK FILES REVIEW PETITION ON EWS

Keeping up with the Dravidian ideology of opposing reservations for the forward community, the DMK has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court on the reservation for the EWS. 

The party had been citing the 1992 judgement of the Constitution Bench in the Indra Sawhney case on the reservations. The party is also opposed to the reservation based on the economic status of the communities outside the ambit of the present reservation system. 

FARMERS PROTESTS

The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliate, will hold a protest in Delhi against the anti-farmer policies of the BJP-led union government. The demands include the withdrawal of GST on fertilisers, agricultural machinery, and MSP for produce. 

The farmers in Annur taluk of Coimbatore district have been protesting against the proposed industrial park on around 3,500 acres. The government has provided administrative sanction for land acquisition, while the farmers are fearing loss of livelihood with the acquisition of fertile farmlands.

The sugarcane farmers in Trichy held a sit-in protest against the inordinate delay in the disbursal of dues from private sugar mills for cane supplied during the previous season. Read More

PROTESTS

SECONDARY GRADE TEACHERS ANNOUNCE STRIKE

The secondary grade teachers, appointed after June 2009 will hold an indefinite hunger strike from December 27 demanding equal pay for equal work. Those appointed before June 2009 are being paid Rs 11, 170 while those appointed later are being paid Rs 8,000 alone. 

AGAINST NLC LAND ACQUISITION

The residents of Karivetti village in Cuddalore district have restarted their protest against the land acquisition by the NLC India Limited (NLCIL) The villagers are refusing to give away lands citing the inordinate delay and inadequate compensation. The residents have accused the NLCIL of not providing jobs as promised.

WORKERS DEMAND RIGHTS

The workers of Mentar Printing and Logistics in Chennai are on a sit-in protesting the vindictive action against the leaders of the trade union. The company suspended the leaders 10 months ago for demands including better wages.