Outfit opposes Vellalar tag demand for SC sub-sects

Trichy: The demand of Puthiya Tamizhagam party leader Dr K Krishnaswamy to name seven sub-sects in the scheduled caste (SC) list as Devendra Kula Vellalars has once again sparked a debate with an outfit of

Vellalar

caste of backward classes (BC) vehemently opposing it.

Akila India VOC Peravai in Trichy has raked up a controversy demanding that the state government ignore Krishnaswamy’s proposal and submitted a petition to the district administration on Wednesday. The outfit mentioned a letter from the state government reportedly sent to all district collectors recently asking them to prepare a report on the pros and cons of the exclusion of the seven sub-sects – Kudumbar, Pannadi, Kaaladi, Kadaiyar, Pallar, Vaadhiriyar and Devendra Kula Vellalar from the SC list.

“It should be brought to the notice of the government that the unreasonable demand of some political leaders will inflict serious harm on us. The identity of our community will fade away if the term Vellalar is accorded to them. So, we demand that the government drop such a proposal if any,” said former MLA V Krishnamoorthy. Vellalar community in BC includes 153 sub-sects such as Kongu Vellalar, Chozhiya Vellalar, Pandiya Vellalar, Karkatha Vellalar, Thondai Mandala Vellalar and Saiva Vellalar, said Trichy district secretary of the outfit, V N Kannadasan Pillai, in the petition.

It may be pointed out that Krishnaswamy has been insisting on the exclusion of the seven sub-sects from SC list and their inclusion in OBC list. He has been claiming that their community were rulers in Chera, Chozha and Pandiya kingdoms and were forcibly included in the SC list due to the poverty caused by various reasons. Kannadasan took exception to the alleged ‘denigration’ of Vellalar community through the comments of Krishnaswamy and Tamilaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam president John Pandian.