In Tenkasi. Shencottah. Kadayanallur and Pulingudi of this district. Muslims, dalits, and Thevars (a backward Hindu caste group) are the predominant people. Thevars are the traditional enemies of both dalits and Muslims. If any clash occurs between Thevars and Muslims, the influential Thevars describe it as Hindu-Muslim clash. Dalits, because of the Hindu influence on them, also join Thevars and try to defend The- vars. They used to be in the forefront of any attack on Muslims without realising that these clashes were engineered by the Thevars. RSS and its front organisation, Vishwa Hindu Perished, used to describe these clashes as Hindu-Muslim fight. Similarly when there was a Thevar- dalit clash, they used to describe it as dalit- caste Hindu clashes. One Raman, B. T. teacher of Kadayanallur, was the target of constant harassment. Even in his school. Hindu teachers used to ill-treat him from the day they came to know that he was, an Untouchable: Had he revealed his caste identity, he would have had to face trouble much earlier. Finding his position unbearable, after long thinking, he embraced Islam. Thevars, belonging to the RSS group, did not like this and started a malicious campaign against him. They also started writing scurrilous things against Hinduism and Hindu gods and put the blame on Ramen for all this. Such a virulent propaganda against him prejudiced the Hindu students also against him be- sides the teachers who had already turned against him. Such a situation made the very life of Reman and his other dalit comrades insecure. And it is this situation that forced them to form Samuthva Sahodaratve Sangham (SSS) about which you had editorially commented in DV No. 18. SSS therefore, is solely intended to protect the dalit life and property and the honour of its women and also that of minorities. SSS is not interested in attacking anybody. We are strictly against any type of violence. After the Meenakshipuram mass conversion of dalits to Islam, Thevaras belonging to the RSS group have been creating all sorts of problems to dalits in this area. With the influence they command with the police, they have foisted false cases on dalits. On 10-3-1982, there was a clash between dalits and Thevars at Kammapachari, near KadayanaIlur. in which a murder case was filed against the dalits. For one and half months, dalits could not get ball but Thevars, who were mainly responsible for the clash, escaped all punishments. Not even a case was registered against them. Since then there had been continuous attacks on dalits in villages around here. Finding their life insecure, they decided to contact SSS at Puliangudi to get a permanent solution to their problems. Dalits have come to realise that no political party would ever come to their rescue. As “vote banks” dalits are to be approached only during elections and conveniently forgotten later. Therefore, dalits have pulled down all party flags and joined the SSS. The moment thy joined SSS. policę atrocities on then came to instant stop. Even the plan to attack Kamapachari was abandoned. Communal tension disappeared in stages. However, on 8-6-82. when dalits of Pullangudi came on trucks to participate in a function of the SSS at Kadayanallur, tha Thevars of Chokkampatti attacked them and incited a communal clash They killed six dalits in the presence of police. The State govt, authorities gave out false reports and sided with Hindus. The statement of Union Home Minister Venkata- snubbish has hurt, us. The Thevars are continuing to attack us but no dalit has so far indulged in violence. These are the facts.
Vol. 1,
Issue No. 20,
01/08/1982
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ArticleE. Kadarkarayandi dt. President, Anusuchita, Jati Sangha, Tirunelveli, T.N.
