imported>Sitush: Reverted 1 edit by Mamallarnarashimavarman (talk): Rv pov pusher - why remove this? (TW)

2020-07-19T19:00:45Z

Reverted 1 edit by Mamallarnarashimavarman (talk): Rv pov pusher - why remove this? (TW)

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
'''Samathuvapuram''' ({{trans|Equality Village}}) officially '''Periyar Ninaivu Samathuvapuram''' (Periyar Memorial Equality Village) is a [[social equality]] scheme of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] to improve social harmony and to reduce caste discrimination. Under the scheme, villages of 100 houses each are being created to accommodate the various [[Caste system in India|castes]], with one community hall and burial ground to be shared by all. The scheme is named after the social reformer [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy]].<ref name="Muthiah2008">{{cite book|author=S. Muthiah|title=Madras, Chennai: A 400-year Record of the First City of Modern India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbR_LLkqdI8C&pg=PA357|year=2008|publisher=Palaniappa Brothers|isbn=978-81-8379-468-8|pages=357}}</ref>

== Background ==
In 1997, the Government of Tamil Nadu decided to change the name of a transport corporation in the [[Virudhunagar district]] to the Sundaralingam Transport Corporation, in honour of 18th-century general [[Veeran Sundaralingam]].<ref name="outlook4">{{Cite news|date=16 July 1997|title=Name Of The Game|work=Outlook|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/name-of-the-game/203878}}</ref> The name change was the long-time demand of the [[Dalit]] [[Pallar]] community, which considered Sundaralingam the icon of their community. However, [[Other Backward Class|backward caste]] [[Thevar|Thevars]] opposed the decision since the transport corporation would bear a Dalit name.<ref name="outlook4" /> Thevars torched the transport buses and attacked the drivers. In response, Dalits vandalised [[U. Muthuramalingam Thevar]]'s statue. Incidents by both [[Caste|castes]] sparked violence in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite news|date=21 May 1997|title=On The Violence Threshold|work=Outlook|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/on-the-violence-threshold/203569}}</ref>

== Scheme ==
The scheme aims to ease the situation and to integrate the Dalits segregated by the [[Caste system in India|caste system]] to begin using the wells and temples of the dominant communities.<ref name="outlook3">{{Cite news |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/dmk-as-social-engineer/204555 |title=Dmk As Social Engineer |date=10 November 1997 |work=Outlook}}</ref> The [[Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu]] [[M. Karunanidhi]] introduced the housing scheme to create villages of 100 houses each. Each village is subdivided into 40 houses for Dalits, 25 houses for backward caste, 25 houses for most backward caste, and 10 for other communities.<ref name="thehindu1">{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/Samathuvapuram-miles-to-go-to-attain-equality/article15963115.ece |title=Samathuvapuram: miles to go to attain equality |date=17 January 2010 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> To avoid caste discrimination, the Samathuvapuram would have one community hall for all communities, as well as a common burial ground.<ref name="outlook3" />
The first samathuvapuram inaugurated by M. Karunanidhi on 17 August 1998 in the Melakottai village near [[Tirumangalam, Madurai]].<ref name="thehindu1" /> By 2001, 145 samathuvapurams were opened across Tamil Nadu.<ref name="thehindu2">{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/Stalin-inaugurates-TNrsquos-14th-Samathuvapuram/article16892593.ece |title= Stalin inaugurates TN’s 14th Samathuvapuram |date=14 November 2009 |work=The Hindu}}</ref>

Following the change in the state government in 2001, the scheme was abandoned. In 2006, the scheme was revived after M. Karunanidhi came to power. During his tenure, 95 samathuvapurams were opened state-wide.<ref name="thehindu2" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Government welfare schemes in Tamil Nadu]]

Samathuvapuram - Revision history

imported>Sitush: Reverted 1 edit by Mamallarnarashimavarman (talk): Rv pov pusher - why remove this? (TW)