Kochi: The newly emerging Dalit discourses and activism needed to attain more visibility in the mainstream society and media, says Meera Velayudhan, daughter of the late Dakshayani Velayudhan, who was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.
Inaugurating the declaration of the Villuvandi Yatra from different parts of the state to Erumely demanding the restoration of Sabarimala to its original owners, the Mala Arayan community, here on Saturday, she said the issues raised by Dalit activists needed to be brought to the mainstream from the margins.
Stressing the importance of upholding values of constitutional morality, she said that was one of the major weapons to fight forces making a systematic attempt to push back the society into regressive social practices in the name of tradition and customs. Addressing the gathering, social activist and writer Rekha Raj gave a detailed exposition of the multiple levels of oppression faced by women.
The virulent attack unleashed by the upper-caste sections in the name of protecting customs and traditions is nothing but an attack against the possibilities of the assertion by the oppressed communities, she said.
A large number of women writers and activists who spoke, including Dr P. Geetha, stressed the importance of defeating the reactionary forces trying to impose the idea of menstruation as impure.
It is unfortunate that even a section of educated women has imbibed such regressive ideas and meekly accepted the impure status in connection with the Sabarimala, they pointed out. A poetry recital and musical performance preceded the meeting.
The Villuvandi Yatra of women from Ernakulam will leave for Erumely on Sunday at 9 am and end at Muttappally Ambedkar memorial school at 3 pm.
