Tamil Nadu must either take steps towards sensitising caste Hindus or stop calling itself the land of social justice, said Sukumar, a University of Delhi professor, at an event held in Chennai on Saturday, January 6. A Political Science faculty member, Sukumar was speaking at the one-day state-level consultation organised by the Dalit Intellectual Collective (DIC). The consultation on Violence against Dalits: Interrogating Social Justice in Tamil Nadu saw the participation of Dalit intellectuals, researchers, and scholars from across the country. 

The scholars presented papers on Dalit rights issues in Tamil Nadu and how the Dravidian ideology and Social Justice movements have failed to protect the interests of Dalits. They called the government’s “lukewarm response” to caste atrocities “very alarming”. DIC also put forth 18 recommendations to the state government to implement without further delay. 

While presenting the paper “Atrocities against Dalits: Emerging Patterns”, Professor Sukumar noted that there is no difference between north and south India when it comes to atrocities against Dalits. “In the north, violence is being used as an instrument to attack Dalits while the south uses its modernity to attack Dalits,” he said. “In recent times, the patterns of the attacks have evolved to align with modernity. We are supposed to make the changes in the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act (SC/ST POA). But unfortunately, there are some attempts to remove the several sections in the Act,” he said, observing that the current Act does not protect Dalits against oppression, discrimination, or assault. 

He expressed his disappointment over the Vengavayal issue where human excreta was mixed in an overhead drinking water tank in Pudukottai district. “Either do something to sensitise caste Hindus to create a balanced society or stop calling this place a land of social justice,” he said.      

Dalit rights activist and writer Shalin Maria Lawrence talked about how contemporary caste issues shape the Dalit psyche. While presenting her paper “The Violence of Caste: An Intersectional Approach on the Effects of Dalit Mind, Body and Society”, she said by perceiving everything that Dalits do as political, they are allowed no privacy to lead conventional, everyday lives. “What I eat or wear, my appearance, the way I speak — everything becomes political,” she said.  

While comparing racism with casteism she said that while discrimination based on people’s skin colour is visible, caste discrimination is invisible. “The invisibility of caste discrimination gives monstrous powers to caste Hindus. Terms like social justice, Periyar land, and atheism act as shields and prevent outsiders from seeing what is happening in the state. If the shields are taken down, they will realise that Tamil Nadu is no different from the rest of the country,” she said. 

Former IAS officer and Dalit feminist writer P Sivakami recalled her experiences of introducing sensitisation programmes for IAS and IPS officers in Tamil Nadu regarding Dalit issues. She had been the Secretary of the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department in 2001 when Jayalalithaa was chief minister. 

Sivakami vividly recalled how she responded to a question by the former CM on whether it was possible to bring such changes. “I told her that we are living in a time where we have failed to implement the Protection of Civil Rights Act and Prevention of Atrocities Act and the conviction rate is hardly 7%. Dalits think the government failed to heed their problems while non-Dalits think all the programmes and schemes were implemented for the Dalits alone. If we need to bridge the gap between them, then it is necessary to sensitise the public service officials," she said. 

She also recalled how her colleagues responded to such initiatives, even trying to undermine her efforts. Even those public servants who participated in the sensitisation programmes favoured the repeal of the POA as their caste location and privileges did not let them think differently, she noted.   

Tamil scholar and historian Professor Stalin Rajangam discussed how southern Tamil Nadu, especially its educational institutions, are the hotbeds for caste crimes and violence against Dalit students. He expressed concern over the “lukewarm response” of the state government towards atrocities that take place in Tamil Nadu. He was equally worried about the silence of the civil society on such “inhumane, cruel, and brutal” attacks against Dalits. While he presented his paper “Caste in the Present Times: Its Breadth and Depth”, Stalin discussed the mindset of the students in southern districts of Tamil Nadu. He detailed how caste symbols, freedom fighters, and leaders from different communities are the embodiment of the caste pride in the southern districts. 

Another speaker, P Venkatanarayanan, who is an Associate Professor at Bengaluru’s Christ University, spoke about the history of 69% reservation in Tamil Nadu. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to release the white paper on the beneficiaries of reservation in government jobs. He presented a paper titled "Revitalising Social Justice in Tamil Nadu”, which detailed the idea of social justice in the state to establish the egalitarian social order. It also discussed the domain of opportunities and access to resources in order to understand the relevance of caste-based hierarchy in the state.  

Retired Bombay High Court judge Justice BG Kolse Patil chaired the event. He introduced the book Caste Pride: Battles for Equality in Hindu India by Delhi-based journalist Manoj Mitta, and “Caste Discrimination and Exclusion in Indian Universities: A Critical Reflection”, a study that was conducted by Professor Sukumar. Professor Srinivasulu Karli from ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research), Professor Thirumal from Hyderabad Central University, Professor Dickens Leonard from IIT Delhi, and Deepti Sukumar also presented papers in the conclave.   

The DIC demanded the government to release a white paper on the Action Taken Report on the atrocities against the Dalits in Tamil Nadu and urged it to conduct periodic meetings related to POA, both at state and district levels. The Collective also suggested that the government constitute a high-level standing committee with representatives from all parties to discuss and recommend remedies for caste atrocities. The collective also demanded the Chief Minister, Home Minister, or Chief Secretary visit the places where atrocities were committed against Dalits.  

The list of 18 demands raised by the DIC is given below:

1. Government should release a white paper on the Action Taken Report on atrocities against the Dalits in Tamil Nadu.

2. Government should conduct periodic meetings in accordance with the POA Act both at the district and state levels.

3. Wherever or whenever violence against Dalits is committed, the Chief Minister and/or the Home Minister, and Chief Secretary should visit the place and console the victims.

4. Government should constitute a high-level standing committee with representatives from

all parties to discuss violence against Dalits and recommend suitable remedies.

5. As in the past, the rejuvenation of Self Respect movement, including the removal caste surname as prefix and suffix to individuals and institutions should be undertaken.

6. Political parties should distance themselves from criminals who propagate caste pride and hatred.

7. Government should establish a centre in every school/college and introduce the thoughts and teachings of Iyothee Thaas, Periyar and BR Ambedkar.

8. Government should restart the sensitisation programme for bureaucracy at all levels.

9. Every Higher Education Institution should introduce sensitisation programmes for the youth.

10. Every education institution should celebrate Independence Day and Constitution Day in grand fashion.

11. Like in Kerala, a law should be enacted to provide reservation to children of inter-caste couples.

12. The government and civil society organisations should come forward for the total elimination of manual scavenging and manhole murders.

13. During calamities, sanitary workers should be paid extra for their additional labour.

14. Like the Vigilance Committee, SC/ST Development Committee should be constituted to monitor sub plan execution and provide a template for overall Dalit development.

15. The government should construct elevated houses for Chennai slum habitants instead of

uprooting them to Semmancheri, Kannagi Nagar, etc.

16. Re-introduce the scheme of providing two acres to landless agriculture workers in rural Tamil Nadu.

17. Women should be given 50% of the ministerial berth and 50% in every decision making level of political parties. 

18. The government of Tamil Nadu and political parties should encourage research on Buddhism and hold regular programmes for the same.