PT asks PM to exclude Devendrakular Vellalar from SC list

Therefore, the Centre should consider it, do justice to the community and restore constitutional spirit, he said.Though the party was grateful that one of its demands of regrouping the sub-sects in single name as Devendrakula Vellalar, it was disheartening and painful that the traditional agrarian community and ancient Hindu community had been subjected to various humiliations only because it was listed under SC, Krishnaswamy said.The decision is more than a change of name.

Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) on Friday demanded the Centre to make changes in the Devendrakula Vellalar Constitutional Amendment Bill by excluding the community from the Scheduled Caste (SC) list.

Talking to reporters here, PT president Dr K Krishnasamy said he had submitted a memorandum in this regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit on Thursday 25 as removing the community from SC would not harm or hurt anyone.

Stating that Devendrakula Vellalars need to move away from the SC list and be listed under any Other Backward Classes, he said the demand was under Constitutional provisions. Therefore, the Centre should consider it, do justice to the community and restore constitutional spirit, he said.

Though the party was grateful that one of its demands of regrouping the sub-sects in single name as Devendrakula Vellalar, it was disheartening and painful that the traditional agrarian community and ancient Hindu community had been subjected to various humiliations only because it was listed under SC, Krishnaswamy said.

''The decision is more than a change of name. It is about justice, dignity and opportunity. To the contrary, a mere name-change does not restore dignity and greater opportunities. It will come true only if we are delisted from the SC,'' he said.

The Prime Minister had announced that the Centre has accepted the Devendrakula Vellalar community's demand to be listed only by their collective, traditional name of 'Devendrakula Vellalar' and not by the names of seven sub- sects.

Asked whether he remained in the NDA, Krishnaswamy said he was not in touch with the AIADMK or the BJP for the last two years.

The decision on the Assembly elections would be taken at the party executive meeting scheduled in March first or second week, he said.

The party would stage state-wide demonstration on March 1 against the skyrocketing prices of cooking gas, petrol and diesel, he said adding that the subsidy for gas which was about Rs 150 when the prices were Rs 600 has gone down to Rs 36.45 with gas prices moving up to Rs 800.

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