Dalit Panthers ready for 'peace talks'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JULY 10. Even while the PMK today urged the state government to convene a meeting of representatives of the two clashing communities in Cuddalore district, the Dalit Panthers signalled that it was ready for ``peace talks'' with the PMK to end the caste-related tension in north Tamil Nadu.

The PMK founder, Dr.S.Ramadoss told the media in Tirunelveli that the state government should convene a tripartite meeting of the representatives of the two communities to avert recurrence of caste clashes.

The Dalit Panthers convenor, Mr. R. Tirumavalavan, addressing press persons in Chennai, said that he was willing to hold discussions with Dr. Ramadoss in the presence of TMC leader, Mr. G.K. Moopanar, to put an end to the caste violence in the Cuddalore district.

The district witnessed violence recently, following clashes between the volunteers of the DP and the PMK.

Asserting that the Dalit Panthers was only a ``victim'' of violence in Cuddalore district and not the ``perpetrators'' as alleged by the PMK, Mr. Tirumavalavan said that he was keen on restoring peace in the district.

``If the DP and PMK leadership hold talks and issue a joint appeal for peace, normality will return,'' Mr. Tirumavalavan said. However, the PMK leadership was not keen on ending the hostilities for ``political gains.''

The DP leader said that he and Dr. Ramadoss had made a joint call for peace from the same platforms in the past when tension erupted between the Dalits and the Vanniars in the northern districts. The PMK leader should not hesitate to hold talks with him, if he was keen on communal amity, he added.

Referring to Dr. Ramadoss rejecting a suggestion from the TMC that he and the DP leader issue a joint appeal for peace in the northern districts, Mr. Tirumavalavan said, ``this only betrayed his (Dr.Ramadoss) caste fanaticism.''

To a question, he reiterated that he would not be part of any alliance that included the ``casteist PMK and the communal BJP.''

Though the PMK was trying to join the AIADMK front of which the DP is a constituent now, Mr. Tirumavalvan said that the AIADMK general secretary, Ms. Jayalalitha was aware that Dr.Ramadoss was not a dependable ally.

Also, the AIADMK would gain ``little'' by aligning with the PMK, as the former had ``a solid Vanniar votebank'' of its own and had polled more votes than the PMK in the northern districts during the 1996 Assembly poll.

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