Delimitation: PT calls bandh in south TN on May 18

Madurai, May 12 (UNI) Demanding a thorough review of the delimitation draft proposals of the Election Commission, the Puthiya Thamizhagam (PT) has called for a bandh across the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu on May 18.

Announcing this to newspersons here today, party President Dr K Krishnasamy said the protest was being resorted to highlight the 'injustice' being meted out to the people of the Southern districts, especially the Dalits.

Under the draft proposals, these districts have been robbed of the lone reserved Lok Sabha seat, Tenkasi. In contrast, the northern districts have been awarded with seven of the eight reserved Lok Sabha seats, it was pointed out.

Further, dissolution and division of existing Assembly segments had opened up a pandora's box, the Dalit leader observed.

Dr Krishnaswamy said the bandh was also to press the DMK Government to rescind its GO, christening all the 77 castes in the SC list in Tamil Nadu as 'Adi Dravidars'. Terming it as an affront on the identity of other castes and communities, he said the GO had also proscribed the use of Dalit, to denote them.

The PT had been spearheading campaign and protests, including block-level token fasts, to highlight these issues.

UNI