DALITS/SCHEDULED CASTES - 2013 - Indian Social Institute

premises. Her marriage to dalit youth Elavarasan in October last year against the wishes of her familyprecipitated a deep vanniyar-dalit rift not seen in the region for more than a decade. Under pressure fromvillage leaders to advice his daughter to return to the family, Nagaragan committed suicide, triggeringviolence that spread rapidly in the region. "My father's death was unexpected. I have been feeling guiltyabout his suicide, the violence that followed and the houses of dalit families that were burnt down. I amunable to sleep or eat properly due to the trauma," Divya said, breaking down. "Now, whenever I thinkabout it, I shiver with fear. I can't understand why caste plays such a role in our society?" she said.Justifying her decision to suddenly leave her husband and to return to her mother, Divya said, "I havecertain responsibilities towards my family. At the same time I am also grateful to Elavarasan, who tookgood care of me despite the turmoil around us," she said, adding that she was forced to remove hermangalsutra soon after she reached her mother's house in Sellankottai in the district. Divya said she wasnot kidnapped or forcibly taken away from her husband. "I have been talking to my mother in recentmonths over phone. I can understand her trauma. Elavarasan and I have also been under huge socialpressure," she said. On Tuesday, when her mother came to Dharmapuri town for medical treatment,Divya decided to meet her and accompany her back home. "It was a tough decision for me," she Divya,trying to hold back tears. Listening to her daughter, Thenmozhi said, "I am in a fix. I don't know whether tobe happy because my daughter has returned to me or feel sad that her married life has been shattered."Embittered by the events, Elavarasan said, "The last three months I thought her mother had a change ofheart and was backing us. It is only now that I believe she has been influencing her daughter and is stillopposed to our marriage." (Times of India 7/6/13)Financial corp targeting innocent applicants: Dalit body (2)AURANGABAD: The Dalit Atyachar Virodhi Mahasangh (DAVM) took out a rally on Friday alleging foulplay in the departmental inquiry set up by the Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Development Corporation(LASDC) against loan defaulters. The agitators said Ramesh Kadam, president of LASDC, was targetinginnocent applicants and lodging false complaints against them. Addressing the rally of about 2,000members, DAVM office-bearer Baburao Kadam said LASDC did not examine the authenticity of thedocuments while approving the loans, which indicates involvement of some of its officials. He demandeda detailed inquiry against all the officers involved in the process. Kadam said the financial body shouldcertainly take action against those who violated the norms, but it should not target innocent applicants."Highlighting delay in loan approval, when some of the applicants tried to meet LASDC president on June5 during his visit to the city, he misbehaved with the applicants," he alleged. Commenting on the issue,Anil Maske, regional manager of LASDC, said some of the applicants tried to disrupt the meeting ofsenior officials of the corporation on June 5. "The police intervened and controlled the situation," he said,rubbishing claims of any misbehavior by LASDC president. Under its two special self-employmentschemes for the Matang community, LASDC had offered financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to 377candidates and Rs 5 lakh to 214 beneficiaries between 2008 and 2011 to set up their own ventures.Unemployed candidates belonging to the community with less than Rs 1 lakh annual income were eligibleto avail the schemes. However, after noticing submission of fake documents in more than 330 cases,LASDC had initiated a high-level departmental inquiry into the matter. Besides, the financial body recentlylodged police complaints against eleven Aurangabad-based loan applicants, who allegedly procuredfinancial assistance from the corporation by providing fake documents. Maske said a special squad wasinvestigating 330 loan proposals and would dig out more skeletons. "We have found huge irregularities inapplication forms, where the applicants have mentioned fictitious names of witnesses and provided fakeaddresses to get financial assistance from LASDC. The team is investigating all the cases and policecomplaints against others will be lodged soon," he said. However, agitating members alleged that LASDCofficials were misleading the state government and acting tough against the loan applicants. (Times ofIndia 8/6/13)