Rejected by parties, paliyars come out to fulfil democratic right

MADURAI: It was a proud moment for the members of the paliyar tribe as they exercise their franchise on Thursday. The paliyars, settled in the foothills of Palani, Bodi, Varushanadu, spreading in Madurai, Theni, Dindigul and Virudhunagar districts are the rejected lot by every political party. But, they made sure they voted as they felt that voting as their democratic right.Many politicians made a beeline to these people on the day of voting by ferrying them in vehicles, offering tea and snacks and also offered money to lure their votes. However, the paliyar community people, who denied taking money, said they exercised their votes based on their discretion.
"There are 51 votes in Siraikadu village including the five new voters registered few months ago. All of us went to Mundal voting booth in vehicle. We exercised the voting before noon. We were offered Rs 200 by a party. But we denied it," said A Dhanalakshmi, a young tribal woman said.
V Thangaraj, of Alagammalpuram Colony near Elumalai in Madurai district said that there are 30 votes in his village. "We took the pain of walking two km in the scorching heat to vote for the candidate of our choice," he said
"We have not lost faith in the democracy and the government. We expect positive signs after the new government takes charge. We want the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which allows our entry into the forest and enjoy the produce for our livelihood, to be implemented. Housing and sanitation facility in paliyar tribal villages are still far from reality," Thangaraj, the only person who has completed school education from the village said.
In Nochiodai village in Varushanadu hills there are 35 families. The voters from the village walked for four km through the hilly terrain to exercise their franchise in the morning itself. Similarly, tribal settlements in Sulundukadu, Sokkanilai, Marudhuoothu and Chinnoor Colony in Lower Palani Hills started voting from the morning, said S Thanaraj, a Madurai-based tribal activist attached with Ekta Parishad, an NGO.
K Ramar, patriarch of paliyars in Solaiyur village near Bodi said that there are around 100 votes including the newly-added 20 votes. While half of them voted before noon, the rest are waiting in the voting booths to carryout their duty.