The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi is reaching out to other Scheduled Caste communities including Arundhathiyars and socially disadvantaged backward communities as a part of its effort to organise and unite ‘Social Justice Communities’.
Towards this end, on Sunday the party’s founder Thol. Thirumavalavan participated in a protest against the Tiruppur district administration for attempting to evict members of the Arundhathiyar community and demolish their houses in Samalapuram, where he claimed they had been staying for more than 100 years. The party has also been conducting ‘social justice community conferences’ over the last few months to celebrate Mr. Thirumavalavan’s 60th birthday.
A senior leader of the VCK told The Hindu that the party has taken efforts even in the past to stand up for the rights of disadvantaged communities but has not been able to unite them.
“We do have additional interest in protecting the rights of Scheduled Caste population. While in the 1990s, Devendrakula Vellalars and Arundhathiyars thronged to the VCK, there has been a set back in uniting these communities because of Sangh Parivar organisations spreading propaganda about ‘glorious caste honour and history’,” he alleged.
However, an office-bearer of the party said the VCK should do more than just participate in protests if the party wants to unite Scheduled Castes and other backward communities. “The schedule castes communities have moved apart from each other. It is going to take a lot of work to unite them,” said the second-level office bearer.
