TN Dalit intellectual collective urges govt to ban caste-based wrist bands in schools

Chennai, Aug 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) A Dalit body of Tamil Nadu has urged the state government to ban caste-based wristbands in schools following brutal attack on a boy and his sister belonging to Dalit community in Nanguneri , Tirunelveli district by the boy's classmates.

Dalit Intellectual Collective, a body of Dalit intellectuals, has called upon the state government to ban the wrist band culture in schools which was leading to fights and often increase enmity among students.

A trend of students being identified by their wristbands is a common sight in several schools of Northern and Southern Tamil Nadu, where the caste organisations have a major say. The students wear wristbands of colours ranging from red, yellow, green and saffron depending upon their castes in such schools.

The boy who was studying in Class XII of a government school in Valliyoor, Nangureni was brutally attacked with a sickle by a group of his classmates who had barged into his home. The incident took place on August 9. The sister of the boy who was trying to to save her brother was also attacked.

The collective visited the places where the violence took place and then gave a report to the government.

The collective was headed by Prof Lakshmanan who was a former Professor at Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS). The collective in its report said that the Dalit student was regularly harassed in the school and he did not go to school for a week from August 1. When teachers enquired about this, he narrated his ordeal, and a complaint was registered.

The Dalit Intellectual Collective in its report also said that after the intermediate caste students came to know of his complaint, they barged into his residence and attacked him and his sister.

Source: IANS