By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government should be ready to construct a memorial for the noted Dalit leader Ayyankali, said Abdul Majeed Faisy, state general secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India. He was delivering the chief address at the Ayyankali memorial conference organized by the party in Thiruvananthapuram. Ayyankali was a famous Dalit leader and reformist who fought for Dalit rights in the state.
Mr Faisy opined that the governments in Kerala were deliberately ignoring Ayyankali. The caste leadership of CPI (M) and Congress is the reason for this ignorance as it is their need that the people forget Ayyankali who made efforts for the unity of the low caste. Feudal lords would have called him a terrorist if that word was familiar then. The problems brought to light by Ayyankali are relevant today also, he added.
Former minister Neelalohithadasan Nadar inaugurated the conference presided over by SDPI district president MA Hameed. Scheduled Castes-Scheduled Tribes Aikya Vedi (united forum of SC/ST) general secretary Aithiyur Surendran, Dalit Aikya Vedi convener Karakulam Sathyakumar, SDPI state secretary Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulvi and district leaders Kunnil Shajahan, Adv Pirappankode Shajahan and Karamana Razaq spoke. Similar conferences were organized by the party in Idukki and Kannur also.
The conference was organized on the occasion of the 69th death anniversary of Mahatma Ayyanakali (as he is also known). Ayyankali was born in Venganoor in Thiruvananthapuram to Dalit parents. He grew up illiterate as other Dalits of the time but fought for educational rights of his community. He fought against the injustices done towards Dalits by the high caste people and led people in their struggle for rights including the right to walk on public roads and the right for Dalit women to cover their upper body. Ayyankali died on June 18, 1941.