MADURAI, February 18, 2011
Dalits pay the price for their political assertion
D. Karthikeyan
Recent violence against them shows a pattern with economically stable
households being the primary targets
In scores of cases, upliftment/empowerment and political assertion by
Dalits have resulted in a simultaneous increase in their oppression by
caste Hindus and dominant castes. The mindless violence unleashed upon
Dalit households on Sunday in Paralipudur village in Dindigul district
is one such case.
Paralipudur has a predominant population of Mutharaiyars (also called
Muthurajas and Valaiyars) and almost all nearby villages —
Kodangipatti, Vemparali, Kadavur, Lingapatti, Vathipatti and
Kavarapatti — are populated by them with the Dalits a minority in this
belt.
The immediate cause of the attack was a confrontation between
Paraiyars (sect of Dalits) and Mutharaiyars over hoisting of flags on
an overhead water tank. Youth belonging to the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal
Katchi had pasted posters bearing images of B.R. Ambedkar and Thol.
Thirumavalavan and hoisted a flag atop the tank after a wedding
ceremony. This invited the wrath of the Mutharaiyars, who hoisted
their association flag.
VCK cadre removed the flags following the intervention of elders of
both castes but the flag of Mutharaiyars was still there. The flag was
reportedly garlanded with footwear by miscreants. This incident was
the trigger for them to unleash violence against the Dalits.
Pattern of violence
The violence against the Dalits here shows a pattern (more like
Kodiyankulam), in which Dalit households which were economically
stable were the primary targets.
Caste Hindus carrying iron rods, clubs and petrol cans went on the
rampage after switching off power supply (a similar incident happened
at Mela Orappanur near Madurai in 2005), burnt down haystacks,
cattlesheds, brought down tiled roof of many houses and stole
valuables, including jewellery, says P. Jayakumar (25) of Indira
Nagar.
It was large-scale destruction of property. A few houses and shops
were burnt down completely; many houses were damaged and ransacked.
The destruction was not limited to objects of everyday use, but also
on sources of livelihood such as cattle, agricultural implements,
pushcarts and sewing machines. Almost 85 houses both in Indira Nagar
and Ambedkar Colony in the village have been damaged.
A couple of Dalit elders said that the caste Hindus were unable to
digest the upward mobility of Dalits and their political assertion
under the VCK. Erection of flagpoles, posters and banners by Dalit
youth during various occasions has been seen as threats to their
social status of dominance.
The Dalit colony, which has close to 150 families, has a good number
of people who are graduates. A few of them are working in government
offices. Most of them work as agricultural labourers and construction
workers and a few do assorted jobs in Madurai city and are not
dependent on the Mutharaiyars for work as they once were. The Dalit
women say they need adequate police protection.
Various human rights organisations and fact-finding teams, comprising
writers and advocates, have visited the village. In their reports,
they have stated that the mass attack on Dalits is a bad precedent and
must be curbed with an iron hand.
They further say that the Dalits suffered huge losses that warrant
payment of adequate compensation by the State government. They
complain that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act has not been invoked and many major sections were left
out.
Social scientists have found that attacks on Dalits who are
politically assertive have become common. This phenomenon of
controlling Dalits through violence and disciplining when ideological
control has no hold is largely found among middle castes and castes,
which are on the threshold of untouchability.
Police sources say that people belonging to Mutharaiyars, who were
involved in the attack were actually mobilised for their attempt to
erect a statue of Perumbidigu Mutharaiyar at Natham Bus Stand. They
were diverted to Paralipudur following rumours that their flag was
desecrated.
Minister for Revenue, I. Periasamy, visited the village on Wednesday
and interacted with the residents.
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