Tamil Nadu
Behind The Vengaivayal Chargesheet, Dravidian Model’s Rhetoric Versus Reality On Social Justice
The Vengaivayal water tank where human faeces were discovered
Two years after the horrific discovery of human faeces in a water tank used by Dalits in Vengaivayal, the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) has filed a chargesheet in the case.
According to the chargesheet, the three accused — J Muraliraja, B Sudharshan, and K Muthukrishnan (all of whom are Dalits) — had carried out the heinous act in order to settle scores with panchayat union president Padma and her husband Muthaiya.
The three accused were unhappy with the resolution introduced by Padma to dismiss Shanmugam, a tank operator, and Muthaiya had allegedly insulted Muraliraja’s father, Jeevanandham, during a dispute about cleaning the water tank.
Opposition parties All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), actor Vijay's Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), and even the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) allies, such as the Left parties and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), have questioned the chargesheet.
They accused the government of shielding the real accused, said to belong to the dominant Mutharaiyar community, and asked why Dalits would do such a thing to their own kinsmen.
BJP state president K Annamalai alleged that the police were playing to the script written by the state government.
While most parties asked for a CBI probe, the TVK suggested an investigation by a court-monitored special investigation team.
In a post on social platform X, Shalin Maria Lawrence, a Dalit writer and activist, said those who were charged were whistleblowers.
The opposition's line of questioning is understandable. The probe has been drawn out, and Dalits are alleging harrassment in the name of investigation.
The Madras High Court, too, has come down heavily on the CB-CID. It even set up a one-man commission under retired judge M Sathyanarayanan to allay fears.
While it remains to be seen whether the matter is handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and whether those charged are indeed guilty, the larger theme of caste-based discrimination is in play.
Discrimination based on caste sadly prevails in Tamil Nadu despite all the talk of ‘social justice’ under the Dravidian model.
In Vengaivayal, for example, it was found that the ‘two tumbler’ system was being followed in tea shops and that Dalits were not allowed entry into the local Ayyanar temple.
In Melpathi village (located in Villupuram district), the Draupadi Amman temple was shut down after the dominant caste members (in this case, the Vanniars) objected to the entry of Dalits.
There are other forms of prejudice as well.
A survey by the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front found a large number of discriminatory practices against Dalit panchayat presidents — not being allowed to hoist the flag on Republic Day, denial of access to documents, and non-cooperation by officials from other castes, among others.
The consequences of standing up to this discrimination sometimes turn out to be extremely dangerous, as with the case of a school boy in Nanguneri. The boy and his sister were brutally assaulted after the boy dared to file a complaint against those who were harassing him.
Real justice is still a long way away.
