Forum moves NCSC against restrictions over Ondiveeran death anniversary

The Ondiveeran Charitable Trust has given a plea to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to lift the curfew that is usually imposed in Sankarankoil in August and instead allow the general public to celebrate the historical events relating to late freedom fighter Ondiveeran. In a representation to NCSC Vice Chairperson Arun Haldar, Ondiveeran M. Arumugam, founder of Ondiveeran Charitable Trust also sought a direction to the State government to constitute a committee to study and identify the leaders, kings and warriors from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Castes communities, who participated in the country's freedom struggle. It also sought a direction to allow the general public to celebrate the connected to the legacy and historical events of the leaders from the SC and ST communities. In the plea, it contended that it was "surprising" that curfew was imposed in some areas of Tamil Nadu especially when celebrating the historical events of rulers from SC and ST communities. "This is done with the intention of destroying and suppressing the history and legacy of the freedom fighters, rulers, warriors and kings from SCs/STs background. It is further learnt that the people from these background are prevented from celebrating the events connected with the historic values and thus their get togetherness in such events are prevented citing irrational and unappreciable grounds of the law and order," it charged.