Protests Erupt at Pollachi Municipality Meeting Over Alleged Casteist Remarks by Councilor

DMK council members protested at a Pollachi Municipality meeting against Councilor Devaki for alleged casteist remarks. Despite a complaint, no arrest has been made, leading to a sit-in protest demanding justice for marginalized communities.


In Coimbatore, a routine council meeting at the Pollachi Municipality office, chaired by city council leader Shyamala Navaneethakrishnan, was marred by controversy and protest. The meeting was initially set in a conventional manner, with the Tamil Thai Vazhthu (Tamil Mother’s praise) playing before it commenced.

The situation escalated when DMK council members belonging to the Scheduled Castes boycotted the meeting. They were protesting against the inaction over the casteist remarks made by Councilor Devaki from the 5th ward in a meeting held on the 30th of last month. Devaki had allegedly used caste names in a derogatory manner to insult marginalized communities.





The council members expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of action against Devaki, despite having filed a complaint at the police station. They highlighted that Devaki had obtained an interim court order preventing her arrest for four weeks, yet they felt justice was not being served for the affected communities. The council members staged a sit-in protest (Dharna) within the municipal office premises, creating a tense atmosphere.

The protesting council members criticized the higher authorities in the police department for not taking any measures against the accused councilor. They claimed that their community was denied justice and that no substantial steps were taken to address the issue.

The incident has brought to light underlying tensions and the need for swift and fair action in such sensitive matters, especially when it involves public representatives and issues of caste discrimination.

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