No Connection between Dalit land and Jaya farm house: DPI

Chennai, Jul 26 (UNI) There was no connection between the Sirudhavur farm house, where former Chief Minister and AIADMK superemo J Jayalalitha used to stay, and the controversial land of 53-acre, allotted to 20 Dalits by the late Chief Minister C N Annadurai in 1967, Dalit Panthers of India (DPI) General Secretary Thol Thirumavalavan, claimed today.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the controversial land was not suitable for either housing or cultivation and it was in dry stage for years together.

The land had changed hands from Dalits to various other parties even in seventies, he said and added that as per the encumbrance certificate, the land was transferred to various persons, including Mr Krishnamachari, father of former Indian Cricketer, K Srikkanth, Music Director Ilayaraja's family, One Mr Veerappan and Subhasree.

Mr Thirumavalavan alleged that the land was once again transferred from them to Ms Chitra, Director of Bharani Resorts, Khaja Mohideen, Jhaheer Hussain and Syed Abbas, and, finally, it was sold to Bharani resorts.

Mr Thirumavalavan said another three acre land was with the noted advocate Sriram Panchu. Yesterday, a DPI delegation led by him, visited the site of the land and came to know from the Dalits concered that both the Bharani Resorts and advocate Panchu did not purchase the land from them directly.

He alleged that under these circumstances, some political parties including the ruling DMK and CPI(M) had attempted to derive political mileage out of the issue and also to divert it.

He also alleged the DMK did not make any mention in its election manifesto and in the recent budget about the welfare of Dalits. All of a sudden it has raked up the Sirudhavur issue only to gain political mileage out of it.

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