COIMBATORE: Members of the Adhi Tamilar Peravai carried a bier to the district collectorate on Monday and submitted a petition to the collector seeking a burial ground for more than 300 dalit families near Karamadai. They alleged that people from other communities prevented them from using a public burial ground in the area.K Ravanan, state youth wing secretary of Aathi Thamizhar Peravai who led the procession carrying the bier, alleged that dalits were still being treated as untouchables and denied entry into the common burial ground.He told reporters that more than 300 Arunthathiyar people have been residing at Seeliyur in Karamadai for more than 70 years. “These people do not have a burial ground. They are burying the bodies of their dear ones on a parcel of abandoned land near a canal. But the bodies get washed away when there is excessive water flow in the canal during rainy days. They can’t bury the bodies on rainy days. Like every other community, these people also have the right to equality, especially in fulfilling the final rites and paying respects to their deceased family members. Moreover, this is a matter of social justice,” he said.He said the district officials should either take immediate action to allow them to use the public burial ground or they should be allocated a separate land for this purpose. “Action should be taken against people who deny their entry into the public burial ground,” he added.
