ETV Bharat Impact: Dalit panchayat president succeeds hoisting tricolour after official intervention

Four days after the 74th Independence Day, the Dalit woman panchayat president of Athupakkam in Tiruvallur district hoisted the national flag at the panchayat office in the presence of the District Collector and Superintendent of police. Earlier, She was prevented from hoisting the national flag on the recently concluded Independence Day.

Tiruvallur (TN):In a bid to ensure social justice and to protect the Constitution, Dalit Panchayat president who was prevented from hoisting the national flag on the recently concluded Independence Day celebration was made to hoist the flag in the presence of the District Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) on Thursday.

District Collector Maheshwari Ravikumar and SP P Aravindhan visited the village. They led Panchayat president Amirtham to the flag pole where the SP himself handed over the rope to her to hoist the flag.

Both the Collector and the SP along with Amirtham offered their salute to the flag. Later she distributed sweets to the gathering as a mark of celebration.

Before this, the Panchayat building which did not have her name until now was quickly redone and her name was painted on it.

Speaking to ETV Bharat Amirtham said, "On Independence Day, I reached the venue for the flag hoisting ceremony as the government school teacher asked to come there. In the venue, the former president ill-treated me and forced me to stand away from the congregation".

"When I stepped out to hoist the flag, he stopped me fiercely and started to abuse me by citing my caste and social background. He also threatened me to work only according to their terms, not on my own will" She added.

She thanked ETV Bharat for bringing out the atrocity and helping her.

"We learnt the panchayat president of Aathupakkam was insulted by panchayat secretary, Husband of the vice president of the panchayat for not allowing her to hoist a national flag on independence day. A journalist who came to report after hearing about this incident was assaulted by miscreants. Two persons were arrested in this connection. Amid police protection, the woman Dalit president hoisted the flag today. Action has been taken to prevent those kinds of incidents. In order to discharge her duties, security has been provided in the Panchayat president office. We will ensure cooperation for her functioning", Aravindhan told ETV Bharat.

Dalit woman panchayat president of Athupakkam along with her family members

On August 15, Athupakkam Panchayat President Amirtham, a Dalit - was denied permission to hoist the National Flag by the caste Hindus in the panchayat council.

This was brought out by ETV Bharat Tamil Nadu and pursued the matter with the District Administration.

Another journalist who went to cover the incident was thrashed by the locals who were party to the caste Hindus.

Following this, Collector intervened and sought a report into the incident. She also had a meeting with the SP. They also met Amirtham and assured her this will be dealt with in such a manner there is no recurrence.

In order to send a loud and clear signal against such caste oppression, the SP ordered the detention of two persons including the husband of panchayat vice-chairman.

The panchayat clerk who was party to the crime was suspended.