Chennai,  Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi of Tamil Nadu which is part of the ruling DMK alliance and works mainly for upliftment of Dalits and downtrodden plans massive movement across the state to retrieve lands belonging to the Dalits encroached upon by others.

The land popularly known as Panchami land was gifted by the British to the Dalits of the state and according to a Madras High court judgment 12 lakh acres were given. However state government records show only 1.09 lakh acres of land under the Panchami lands, of which 17,159 acres was encroached by people of other communities.

Thol Thirumavalavan, President of VCK and Member of Parliament has already met the Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on June 25 and handed over a representation requesting Stalin to intervene in the matter and to provide justice to the Dalit community.

The VCK has already formed a committee to chalk out future action plans including massive agitations and protest marches across the state even as the party is part of the ruling alliance.

The party will commence the movement to retrieve the Panchami lands in the budget session of the assembly with the VCK floor leader Sinthanai Selvan already having sent questions regarding the land and its present occupants.

The VCK leader told IANS: "I have already sent questions and is expecting a reply on the floor of the house during the budget discussions and we will commence the official movement for restoring the lost Panchami land hereon."

The BJP is also upping its ante regarding the lost Panchami lands and party national executive committee member, Tada Periyasamy, who is working on the issue for several years is following up the matter.

Periyasamy told IANS: "The government of Tamil Nadu had three commissions studying the issue and had given report but nothing much was achieved.

"The 2011 state government data has revealed that 17,159 acres of Dalit land are encroached upon in Tamil Nadu and successive governments have not done anything for that."