Money meant for Dalits are pocketed by leaders: PMK secy
MONDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2012 00:02 PNS | CHENNAI
Evangelists and Christian organisations are funding many Dalit organisations and political outfits in Tamil Nadu, according to a prominent Dalit leader in the State.
“Though the organisations receiving foreign funds shout that the Dalits are under attack, they don’t do anything to make the weaker sections well off and pocket the money they receive from the foreign agencies,” Ravanan Vadivel, general secretary, PMK, told The Pioneer.
Vadivel said Dalit outfits like VCK led by T Thirumavalavan, MP, continue receiving millions of rupees as aid from various Christian organisations in Netherlands, Belgium, France, Denmark and USA. “Though the aid is officially meant for eradication of slavery, poverty, untouchability, improving rural health and education, the money is spent on other purposes. All you have to do is submit vouchers and bills to the Government of India. Most of the bills and vouchers are bogus,” he said.
Vadivel (62), an archaeologist-turned-Sanskrit scholar, is a close confidante of PMK founder Dr Ramdoss. This is the first time a Dalit leader is coming out with allegations of misuse of foreign funds by Dalit organisations and political parties. “There are funds instituted by US-based Government agencies for Dalit Political Awakening. But these funds are misused by the leaders as the Dalit cadre continue to suffer and remain ignorant of the political issues ,” he said.
According to Vadivel, any NGO can get registered under the Foreign Currency Registration Act. “They are eligible to receive foreign funds under 80 different categories. The funds are meant for issues like bringing to the national attention violation of human rights, boost women’s education, rural health, water and sanitation. But in majority of the cases, the funds are diverted by the Dalit leaders themselves,” said Vadivel.
Thirumavalavan, the leader of the VCK and Dr Ramdoss were comrades-in-arms recently. But they fell out following Dr Ramdoss’s charge that the Dalit youth were being instigated and encouraged by the caste leaders to selectively marry girls belonging to the backward communities. Both the PMK and VCK were constituents of the rainbow alliance floated by the DMK leader Karunanidhi in the 2004 Lok Sabha election. The PMK walked out of the DMK front just before the 2009 Lok sabha election only to rejoin it prior to the 2011 Assembly election.
The recent attack on Dalit hamlets in Dharmapuri district following the elopement of a backward community girl and a Dalit youth saw both PMK and the VCK blaming each other. The statement made by Dr Ramdoss against ‘instigated love marriages’ saw Thirumavalavan and the Lefts alleging that the PMK founder was trying to drive a wedge between Dalits and the backward communities in the state.
The demand for amendment of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 has started gaining momentum in the State with a senior AIADMK leader too saying that the Bill was discriminatory in nature. “The situation in 1989 has undergone a major change. Though much is needed to be done for the upliftment of the Dalits, this special act is being misused. Amma (AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa) herself knows that the Act is being misused by certain elements to harass the people in other communities,” said the AIADMK leader who did not want his name to be quoted.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/116063-money-meant-for-dalits-are-pocketed-by-leaders-pmk-secy.html
