Democracy triumps: Dalit Panchayat Presidents felicitated

Chennai, Nov 13 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government today organised a grand felicitation of newly-elected Presidents of four reserved Panchayats in south Tamil Nadu, where elections could not be held successfully for the past ten years due to stiff opposition from caste Hindus.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, State Ministers, MPs, MLAs and leaders of various parties came together to felicitate the Dalit Panchayat Presidents of Pappapatti, Keeripatti and Nattarmangalam in Madurai district and Kottakachiyenthal in adjoining Virudhunagar district - which had not adopted Panchayati Raj for a decade.

Besides the new Presidents, a large number of villagers including caste Hindus took part in the function at Kalaivanar Arangam here.

Earlier in the day, Local Administration Minister M K Stalin received the Panchayat Presidents and villagers, who arrived at the Egmore station here by special train from Madurai.

The caste Hindus, participating with enthusiasm, also accorded a rousing reception to victorious candidates, paving the way for smooth and functional transfer of power to Dalits.

The four Panchayats were frequently in the news as sections of majority caste-Hindus, who had monopolised panchayat posts for quite some time refused to accept Dalits as Panchayat Presidents under the reservation system introduced in 1996.

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