Dalits not allowed to use village tank

MADURAI: Caste discrimination has reared its ugly head again in the district, this time in a remote village.Three youth — Jeyaneethi, Kasirajan and Parameswaran — from Ambedkar Street in Karadipatti near Madurai - alleged that the Caste Hindus prevented Dalits from making use of a water tank in the village. The trio had taken bath in a tank adjacent to a cremation shed for non-Dalits in the village on May 19.According to Jeyaneethi, there are two cremation sheds — one for Dalits and the other for caste Hindus. However, there was a borewell only at the cremation shed meant for Caste Hindus. It has become a practice for a few members of Caste Hindus to object whenever Dalits used the water tank.On that day, four people from the dominant community came and informed the youth that the tank was not meant for Dalits. But, the youth continued to take bath. The next day, Saranraj and Virumandi from the Dalit community, had gone to the same tank to take bath. Irked by this, a group from the dominant community came to spot and abused them using their caste name.  However, the Dalits did not retaliate, but took up the issue with the panchayat president Karadiappan, who held talks with Caste Hindus. But they refused to heed the panchayat chief and ordered that none should run the motor without their consent, thus preventing the Dalits from using the tank.The youth came to the Collectorate on Monday and petitioned the Collector.