In protest, Dalits attempt to hoist flag at cemetery

Dalits of Peelamedu in Coimbatore attempted to hoist the national flag at a graveyard to protest against the existence of two separate burial grounds for Dalits and caste Hinds at Pudur.

As government officials remained indifferent to their complaint, Dalits decided to hoist the national flag at the graveyard on occasion of the 70th Independence Day on Tuesday.

According to the members of the Samathuva Kazhagam, there was discrimination even in burying or cremating Dalits who had died. 

The bodies of Dalits are being buried or cremated in a separate graveyard while those of caste Hindus in a common graveyard, they said.  

To bring the issue to the notice of the government, they decided to hoist the national flag at a graveyard as a mark of protest demanding a common cremation facility for Dalits in Peelamedu Pudur.

Police arrested 84 members of Samathuva Kazhagam, including 36 women, who staged the protest without permission.