VCK to launch protests for renaming 'casteist' TN towns, villages

Chennai, Aug 19 (IANS) Tamil Nadu's VCK, which focuses on the rights of the backward classes and Dalits, on Thursday announced that it would conduct protests across the state for renaming of villages and towns with "casteist names".Speaking in the Assembly, party leader and MLA, M. Sinthanai Selvan, called upon the state government to change the names of villages and towns that are still using caste names, and insulting the Dalits of the state.He noted that a village in Dharmapuri district is still named "Sakkilipatti" (referring to Dalits) and that such names exist in several parts of the state even now.Selvan said that the government must collect information on the names of such villages and towns which are casteist slurs and added that social equality will come only when people of all classes feel that they are living with dignity and pride.The VCK leader also said that more statues of B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution, must be erected prominently in all government complexes, along with the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and social reformer Periyar.Tamil Nadu had witnessed several casteist fights between communities and social bias based on caste is prevalent within rural areas.
--IANS aal/vd