The incident took place near Bhuvanagiri, when a group of people were returning from Parangipettai for a temple ritual on Maasi Maham.
A group of Dalits, who were travelling in a tractor, were stopped and attacked by a group of caste Hindu men, in Cuddalore of Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday, March 7. The incident took place near Bhuvanagiri, when a group of people were returning from Parangipettai after a temple ritual on Maasi Maham. Maasi Maham is one of the important festivals for Hindus living in Tamil Nadu.
According to police, a group of men belonging to the Vanniyar community stopped one of the tractors in which a few people were travelling and attacked them for having the volume too high. However, A Kathir, the founder-director of Evidence, the Madurai-based organisation fighting for Dalit and tribal rights, said that the attack was because of the caste of the people. “It was not that the volume was high, but who was listening to the songs in high volume,” he said.
Police arrested some of the attackers, and sent those injured to hospital in an ambulance. However, the ambulance driver Manikandan, who also belongs to the Vanniyar community, stopped the ambulance near Mela Manakkudi, following which the injured were again attacked by those from the Vanniyar community. Kathir said that the injured were taken to the hospital by those accompanying them.
Six persons, including three children and an elderly person have been admitted to the Bhuvanagiri Government Hospital. Seven persons – Suralirajan (29), Sanjay (23), Dhayanidhi (18), Kumaresan (26), Abhimani (18), Chandru (20) and Subhash (23) – have been arrested in connection with this incident. All of them, except Abhimani, are members of the political party Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), according to police sources.
A 37-year-old Dalit panchayat president in Madurai district says she has been continuously facing humiliation by the people of a dominant caste. Of late, she has been receiving threats on her mobile phone from unknown numbers, following which she has sought protection from the State government.
Vidya, who was elected as the president of Pazhayur panchayat in Peraiyur block in Madurai district, told The Hindu on Thursday: “Every day, the level of torture and humiliation is increasing. My mental agony can’t be explained over the phone in a few lines.”
She filed a complaint in this regard with Saptur police last month, based on which the police registered a case against a few villagers. But, there was no tangible action after that. Now, she said, she was under pressure to withdraw her complaint and go for a compromise.
In her three-page complaint addressed to the Director General of Police, Chief Secretary, Chief Minister’s Special Cell and the Madurai Collector, Ms. Vidya detailed her problems, said A. Kathir, executive director, Evidence, a Madurai-based NGO working for the welfare of Dalits.
In the 2019 rural local body election, Ms. Vidya, a graduate, was elected as the president of the panchayat, which had earlier been under “general” category. Ms. Vidya took steps to lay roads, provide potable water and install streetlights. When she started constructing a community hall, she started receiving threats to stop the work.
Pazhayur panchayat comprised Karisalpatti, Kattarapatti and Pazhayur. Except in Pazhayur, Dalits were in sizable numbers in the panchayat. When she planned to organise meetings in Karisalpatti and Kattarapatti, some ward members belonging to the dominant community opposed. “Five persons, led by one Bharata Pandian, verbally abused me,” she said.
An Evidence team, led by Mr. Kathir, visited the village two days ago. The villagers told the team members that some people mixed urine and faecal matter in the overhead tank water in 2021. Some ward members showed them bottles filled with sewer, saying it was the drinking water supplied to them.
When 40 streetlights were fitted in the village in 2022, they vanished overnight. A complaint was lodged, but there was no police action. Similarly, water pipelines were damaged, and the police had not acted on their complaint, Ms. Vidya said.
Recently, Ms. Vidhya said, some ward members locked her office and pasted cow dung on her name board. When she complained to the police, they obtained an undertaking from the suspects that they would not repeat the act.
The police said they had registered a case under Sections 294 (b), 427 and 506 (1) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3 (1) (r) and 3 (1) (s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015, and arrested Bharata Pandian.
A 33-year-old man, Jeeva, of Nettenthal village, under the Tiruvadanai police station limits in Ramanathapuram district, was attacked by a 10-member gang after the Sivarathri celebrations held in their hamlet last week. However, despite a police complaint, no arrests have been made even five days after the incident, said A. Kathir, executive director of Evidence, a Madurai-based NGO. Mr. Kathir had visited Jeeva in the hospital where he was admitted after the attack.
According to the police, Jeeva’s relative, Dinesh had told him that a gang attacked him on the night of February 18 at the temple festival. Jeeva told the youth that they would go together on the following day to the house of the men who attacked him, and seek justice from the elders of the family.
When they visited the house on the morning of February 19, some elders there questioned the “boldness” of Jeeva and others on their visit to the houses of the dominant community (Thevars) in the hamlet, and abused them, as they belonged to the Scheduled Caste, Jeeva claimed in his complaint.
As the situation appeared tense, Jeeva and the others left. However, some of the gang members chased them and intercepted Jeeva. Within a few minutes, they pulled away his dhothi and tore his shirt. Attacking him with wooden logs, the gang also urinated on him, Jeeva informed the police. As he was unconscious, his relatives took him in a 108 ambulance to the Devakottai Government Hospital.
Following a complaint, the Tiruvadanai police registered a case under sections 147, 148, 294 (b), 355, 363 of the Indian Penal Code and under provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities (Amendment) Act of 2015 on February 23.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Niresh and Inspector Navaneethakrishnan conducted preliminary investigations.
Speaking to The Hindu on Friday, Mr. Kathir however said the police had not yet arrested the accused. “The complainant had named 11 persons as accused and not even one has been held so far,” he said.
Describing the incident as “brutal’ against the downtrodden, he said that the police had not acted impartially. “The only mistake Jeeva seems to have committed was that he had dressed up well and gone to the dominant community’s village. Is this a crime?” Mr Kathir asked, and said that the force used to attack Jeeva was cruel.
Ramanathapuram Superintendent of Police P. Thangadurai said that the police will take stern action as per the law.
Madurai: NGO Evidence has urged the Ramanathapuram district police to arrest the people who assaulted a dalit man and allegedly urinated on him over a quarrel in Ramanathapuram district.In a statement, executive director of Evidence A Kathir said that Jeeva, 33, a dalit man is a resident of Nettendal village near Thiruvadanai in Ramanathapuram district. Jeeva is running a Tasmac shop in Karur district.Jeeva had come to his village for Shivratri on February 18. Jeeva’s 17-year-old cousin had gone to the nearby village to attend a cultural programme on the night of February 18. A dispute broke out between the boy and a boy belonging to another community. Twenty more people joined and assaulted the cousin.Kathir said that the boy complained about this to Jeeva. When Jeeva and his relatives went to the house of the boy belonging to another community on February 19, the latter’s father Murugesan abused him using a caste slur. Jeeva warned that he would lodge a police complaint.When Jeeva and others were consuming water near a school, 10 people including Murugesan came to the spot and started assaulting Jeeva. They allegedly stripped Jeeva’s clothes and urinated on him. When people belonging to Jeeva’s village came to know about this incident and came to the spot, Murugesan and others escaped, said Kathir.Kathir urged the police to register a case under provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrest all the accused. He also urged the government to provide a compensation of 5 lakh to Jeeva.Since it is a case of caste discrimination, anticipatory bail should not be given to the accused till chargesheet is filed. Protection should be given to Jeeva, he urged.
MADURAI: The executive director of Evidence, A Kathir, on Thursday, demanded immediate arrest of caste Hindu persons who allegedly urinated on the face of an SC man and partially undressed him during a quarrel in Ramanathapuram on February 19.
According to Kathir, a caste Hindu minor boy, and an SC minor boy had a quarrel, following which the caste Hindu boy brought a few other boys and assaulted the latter in the wee hours of February 19 in Sirugai village. “The SC boy reported this issue to his uncle Jeeva of Nattenthal.
Hence, Jeeva went to the house of the caste Hindu minor boy in Seerthangi village and condemned the family members for the act of the boy who brought in other boys to fight the SC minor boy. Following this, a neighbour of the caste Hindu boy belonging to the same caste, Sethur Murugesan, fought with Jeeva and warned him stating that he is in no way equal to them. Jeeva left the spot stating that he will lodge a complaint,” Kathir said.
He further stated that Jeeva was assaulted by the accused persons when he parked his vehicle in Puliyal village for drinking water. Jeeva was undressed and urinated on his face by the gang, added Kathir stating that later Jeeva was admitted to Government Hospital in Devakottai. The police have informed Evidence that they will register a case.
Kathir demanded the police book a case against the accused persons under the SC/ST Act, and that no bail should be granted for the accused until the chargesheet is filed. He also demanded a compensation of `5 lakh to be given to the victim and also sought police protection for the Jeeva and SC people in the locality.
Even after a 28-year-old woman hailing from the Scheduled Caste community complained about atrocities meted out to her and two children by a Vanniyar couple under Thiddakudi police limits in Cuddalore district, the police had not taken any action for almost 30 days.
In a petition addressed to the Director General of Police Sylendra Babu, the woman Tamilselvi (28), wife of Kaviarasan, said that a couple (Kolanjinathan and his wife Tamilselvi) living in the same locality had been humiliating her and attacked her with weapons. Despite submitting complaints with the Thittakudi police on January 16, they had not taken action.
As a result, again on January 19, she and her two children – 6 years and 5 years old – were assaulted by the couple. When the issue was taken up with the police, they registered an FIR (First Information Report) against Kolanjinathan and his wife, under IPC Sections 294 b, 506 (1), SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act 2015 read with 3 (1) (r) and 3 (1) (s) among others.
However, the police did not arrest the couple. When on February 7 night, the couple knocked her doors and brandished a knife attempting to kill her, she immediately took up the issue with the Cuddalore Superintendent of Police, upon whose directions, the Thittakudi police assured her that they would take action.
Under such circumstances, when the complainant approached Evidence, an NGO, following which a fact-finding team visited the habitation on February 16.
According to Evidence executive director A. Kathir, the Thittakudi police and the DSP had not taken action as per the laws.
“Just registering a case alone is not enough. Within 30 days, the police should have filed its final report, but in this case, they have not even questioned the complainant Tamilselvi…” he charged.
The reason behind the police not arresting the accused immediately also gave suspicion since the couple had filed a bail application in the High Court. When the complainant learnt about this, she personally appeared before the court and submitted video evidence following which the court dismissed the bail and directed the police to arrest them, Mr. Kathir said and added that the complainant’s husband was working abroad.
The fact-finding team urged the government to take stern action against the DSP and the Thittakudi police for not acting swiftly. The NGO demanded the government to pay compensation to the complainant and also give protection to the family.
MADURAI: Evidence, an NGO working for the rights of SC/ST communities, has urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to order the arrest of the Math teacher who allegedly hurled caste abuses at two girl students in Devangar Girls High School at Chinnalapatti in Dindigul district recently. “Owing to the abuse, the students attempted the extreme step on February 15. The CM should also take steps to prohibit caste symbols and signs from schools across the state,” said A Kathir, executive director of the NGO.
In a press statement, he said, “On Wednesday, two Class 9 students attempted the extreme step after Math teacher Premalatha verbally abused them. Later that day, their parents and local residents staged protests urging the police to arrest five persons, including the headmaster and teachers in the school. Subsequently, our NGO conducted a fact-finding study at the high school and learnt that Premalatha told all students in the class not to speak to the two SC girls.”
One of the victims is undergoing treatment at the government hospital in Dindigul, while Premalatha has been placed under suspension. “The state chief secretary should send a team to the school to inquire about the caste discrimination meted out to students here. The victims should be provided psychological counselling and a compensation of `1.2 lakh. Their educational expenses should also be borne by the government,” Kathir added. Speaking to TNIE, Dindigul Superintendent of Police V Baskaran said a detailed inquiry is underway into the allegations.
Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu health department’s helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
சின்னாளபட்டியில் ஆசிரியர்கள் அவமானப்படுத்தி திட்டியதாக கூறி ஒன்பதாம் வகுப்பு மாணவிகள் பள்ளி கழிவறையில் இருந்த பினாயிலை குடித்து தற்கொலைக்கு முயன்றனர். இந்த சம்பவம் குறித்து மாவட்ட பள்ளி நிர்வாகிகளும், போலீசாரும் விசாரித்து வருகின்றனர். இந்நிலையில், இச்சம்பவம் குறித்து எவிடென்ஸ் அமைப்பின் தலைவர் எவிடென்ஸ் கதிர் பதிவிட்டுள்ள முகநூல் பதிவு கவனம் பெற்றுள்ளது.
பக்கத்தில் வராதீர்கள்.நாற்றம் அடிக்கிறது.சாக்கடை நாற்றம்.படிக்க வரிங்களா? யாரையாவது காதலித்து இழுத்து கொண்டு போக போறிங்களா? உங்கள் ஆளுங்களுக்கு எதற்கு படிப்பு? உங்களை பார்த்தாலே அருவருப்பாக இருக்கிறது.
இந்த வார்தைகளை சொன்னது ஏதோ ஒரு சாதி இயக்கத்தின் சாதி வெறியன் அல்ல. பள்ளிக்கூடத்தின் ஆசிரியை. இதனால் மன ரீதியாக வேதனை அடைந்த ஒன்பதாம் வகுப்பு படித்து வரும் இரண்டு தலித் மாணவிகள், கடந்த 15 பிப்ரவரி 2023 அன்று பள்ளிக்கூடத்தின் கழிவறையில் இருந்த பினாயிலை குடித்து உள்ளனர்.
சின்னாளப்பட்டி தேவாங்கர் – பெண்கள் உயர் நிலை பள்ளிக்கூடத்தில் இந்த சம்பவம் நடந்து இருக்கிறது. சிகிச்சை எடுத்துவரும் இரண்டு தலித் மாணவிகளையும் திண்டுக்கல் அரசு மருத்துவமனையில் சந்தித்தேன். இந்த துயரம் நேற்று இன்று நடக்கவில்லை. கடந்த இரண்டு மாதமாகவே நடந்து வருகிறது. மற்ற மாணவிகளிடத்திலும் எங்களிடம் பேச கூடாது. அவர்களிடம் பேசினால் கெட்டு போய்விடுவீர்கள். அவர்கள் எல்லாம் காலணியிலிருந்து வருபவர்கள். அவர்கள் மீது நாற்றம் அடிக்கும் என்று கூறி கொண்டே இருப்பார். எங்களது மகிழ்ச்சியை நிம்மதியை முற்றிலும் அந்த ஆசிரியர் குலைத்து விட்டார். நாங்கள் அருகில் சென்றால் கிட்டே வராதீர்கள் என்று கூறி தள்ளி நிற்பார். எவ்வளவு காலம் பொறுத்து கொள்வது? இந்த அவமானத்தை எதிர்கொண்டு எப்படி உயிர் வாழ்வது?
விளையாட்டு போட்டியில் முதல் பரிசும் இரண்டாம் பரிசும் வாங்கினாலும் எங்களை பாராட்ட மாட்டார். அடுத்த நிலை விளையாட்டில் எங்களை விளையாட அனுமதிக்க மாட்டார் என்றும் கூறிய அந்த குழந்தைகளை எப்படி தேற்றுவது என்று தெரியாமல் அமைதியாக நின்று கொண்டு இருந்தேன். இதுவரை சம்பந்தப்பட்ட ஆசிரியை கைது செய்யப்படவில்லை. அவர்கள் வாசிக்க கூடிய தொப்பம்பட்டி கிராமத்தில் உள்ள மற்ற மாணவிகளிடத்திலும் விசாரித்தேன். சில சமயம் அந்த ஆசிரியை கோபத்தில் கன்னடத்தில் திட்டுவார். அந்த வார்த்தைகள் புரியாது. ஆனால் பறைச்சி, சக்கிலிச்சி என்று சாதியை கூறுவார் என்கிற குற்றச்சாட்டும் வைக்கின்றனர்.
இதனை கன்னடம் எதிர் தமிழ் என்று எடுத்து கொள்ள கூடாது. இந்த ஆசிரியர் மற்ற பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட தமிழ் சாதி மாணவர்களிடம் கண்ணியமாகத்தான் நடந்து கொண்டு உள்ளார். இந்த பள்ளிக்கூடத்தில் 48 ஆசிரியர்கள் உள்ளனர். இதில் ஒருவர் கூட தலித் ஆசிரியர்கள் இல்லை என்று அப்பகுதி மக்கள் கூறுகின்றனர். கல்வி கூடங்கள் சாதி கூடாரங்களாக உள்ளன என்பதை எவரும் மறுக்க முடியாது. பள்ளிக்கூடம் மட்டும் அல்ல. கல்லூரிகளும் அப்படிதான் இருக்கின்றன. சவ்ராஸ்ட்ரா கல்லூரி, யாதவர் கல்லூரி, மன்னர் திருமலை நாயக்கர் கல்லூரி, பசும்பொன் முத்துராமலிங்க தேவர் கல்லூரி, வெள்ளைச்சாமி நாடார் கல்லூரி இப்படி பல்வேறு சாதி பெயர்களில் மதுரையில் கல்லூரிகள் மட்டும் அல்ல.
பள்ளிக்கூடங்களும் உள்ளன. தமிழ் நாட்டில் எல்லா இடங்களிலும் இந்த அவலம்தான். தமிழக அரசு பேருந்துகளில் இருந்த சாதி அடையாளத்தை உத்தரவு போட்டு ஒழித்த தமிழக அரசு கல்வி கூடங்களில் தாங்கிஇருக்கும் இந்த சாதி அடையாளத்தை எப்போது ஒழிக்க போகிறது. தேவாங்கர் செட்டியார் பள்ளிக்கூடம் என்று வருகிறபோது இயல்பாகவே அந்த சாதியின் பெருமிதமும் ஆதிக்கமும் அங்கு மேலோங்கி நிற்கிறது. எந்த சாதி பெயரை தாங்கி நின்றாலும், அது எல்லா நிலைகளிலும் தலித் மாணவர்களையே ஒடுக்குகிறது என்பதுதான் உண்மை.
காடு இருந்தால் பறித்து கொள்ளுவார்கள். பணம் இருந்தால் பிடுங்கி கொள்ளுவார்கள். கல்வியை பறிக்க முடியாது என்று அசுரன் படத்தில் வசனம் வரும்போது எல்லோரும் ஓங்கி கைகளை தட்டினோம். ஆனால் சாதி கல்வியை மட்டும் அல்ல உயிரையும் பறிக்கிறது. கல்வி என்பது எழுத்து அறிவு மட்டும் அல்ல. அது சமத்துவ பண்பு என்பதை எப்போது சொல்லி கொடுக்க போகிறோம். ஆகவே காடு, பணம், கல்வி எல்லாவற்றையும் பறிக்க முடியும் மானுடத்தையும் சமத்துவத்தையும் பறிக்க முடியாது என்கிற ”நீதி கல்வி வளர்ந்தால்தான் சாதி கல்வி” ஒழியும் என்று அதில் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.