Chennai, Jul 4 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) has called upon the state government to formulate separate laws for honour killings that are taking the lives of several people from the Dalit and deprived communities.

TNUEF General secretary, P. Samuel Raj in a statement on Monday, said that the front would appeal to the DMK government to eradicate evil practices like honour killings and to formulate a separate law for the same.

The front will also conduct surveys in 500 panchayats of the state to understand whether people from Scheduled Caste (SC) communities are able to access public places like toilets, bus waiting shelters, bus stands, and panchayat offices.

The organisation said that the practice of untouchability is rampant in temples and burial grounds and that it has taken up more than 25 such court cases in the state.

While interacting with media, Samuel Raj said: "The TNUEF is fighting six honour killing cases and we want the state government to appoint special public prosecutors to fight these in courts".

According to its office-bearers, the front will also take up the land issues of the Scheduled caste people in the state and alleged that the Panchami land that was allocated to the Dalits and SCs was usurped and taken over by caste Hindus.