The Hindu : Koothirambakkam violence was `pre-planned'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Koothirambakkam violence was `pre-planned'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI April 19 . The March 29 attack on Dalit families at Koothirambakkam, near Kancheepuram, by members of the dominant Vanniar community was pre-planned and organised to destroy the security and dignity of the oppressed group, a fact-finding team, comprising human rights activists, told mediapersons here today.

The State convener, National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights, V. Karuppan; the advocate, P.V. Bakthavachalam, and the rights activist and writer, Thiagu, who were part of the team which visited the village, blamed the district police and civil administration for their failure to enforce the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. It was not invoked against the panchayat president, Kasthuri Mohan, and others, who led the attack on the Dalit hamlet. She faced only bailable charges.

`Remove trouble-makers'

"The only solution is to use the Act to arrest the 21 accused, named in the complaint filed by Amsaveni (who was severely injured), and remove the trouble-makers in the dominant community from the village for one year. They should be permitted to re-enter it only after they give an undertaking that they will not violate the Act," said Mr. Karuppan.

Mr. Bakthavachalam said that for 23 years the Dalits in the village had been subjugated. But when the Collector last month gave a clear order granting them fishing rights in the village tank, opposition came from the Vanniyar community and the panchayat president, who, however, undertook to abide by it. On March 29, when the Dalits came to harvest fish, a 200-strong crowd, which was standing near the tank, withdrew. "The Dalits and a fishing contractor entered the tank. But within minutes, the armed mob of 200 came back. The Dalits retreated on seeing the crowd. After that, began a four-hour orgy of violence, in which all 50-odd Dalit families were targeted. All their houses were destroyed, their belongings pillaged, women and youngsters brutally attacked, even certificates were taken away and their cycles damaged beyond repair," said Mr. Bakthavachalam.

For the past 23 years, all peace meetings held after regular bouts of violence had been used only to withdraw cases filed against the perpetrators. This time, the dominant caste was clear that it would not allow the Dalits to fish in the tank, despite clear orders from the Collector, said the team members.

"Posting of four constables near the tank on March 29 could have stopped the violence," Mr. Karuppan said. As if to maintain an unbiased posture, the police foisted cases on the Dalits also.

Noting that huge money was being allotted by the Centre for Dalit welfare and development, he said each affected family should be provided Rs. 1 lakh to rebuild its home and re-establish livelihood. A police post should be established in the Dalit hamlet and the Government would have to take clear steps to prevent further violence.

Madurai, a Dalit community member of the village, said if long-term steps were not taken, "the non-violent and subjugated Dalits of Koothirampakkam could slowly turn violent".

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