Chennai, Sept 20 (IANS)

In another instance of caste being a dominant factor in the Dravidian land of Tamil Nadu, a  caste Hindu woman, Lakshmi told a prospective Scheduled Caste tenant that she will not rent her flat to people belonging to Muslim, Christian, and Scheduled Caste /Scheduled Tribes as her family deity would be offended.

 Madurai Veeran of Arasapillaipatti village of Dindigul district,  approached Lakshmi and Velusamy, a caste Hindu couple for renting a residential flat owned by the couple. While taking him and his accomplices through the flat, Lakshmi asked about his caste background. When Madurai Veeran informed that he belonged to the Scheduled Caste community, she flatly denied it and told her that if she rent out her flat to Muslim, Christian, or from Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe people, her family deity would be affected.

Joseph Christopher, the district leader of the Dalit political party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) who was with Madurai Veeran when he approached Lakshmi confirmed with IANS that the woman had told flatly them that she won’t rent out her flat to Muslim, Christian or SC/ST people. He said that the husband of Lakshmi, Velusamy was having a wholesale vegetable shop at Ottachathiram market and he had earned lakhs of rupees by the labour of Scheduled Caste people and not renting a home to an SC was pure hypocrisy.

Ottanchatram police booked a case against Lakshmi under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. However, police officers told IANS that she was absconding and could not be arrested.

VCK leaders told IANS that she should be arrested immediately and that she should be punished for what she had done.