Chennai: Expressing serious concern over the spike in anti-Dalit atrocities in Tamil Nadu and across the country, author and Lok Sabha MP Ravikumar has pressed for including casteist violence and atrocities in the definition of terrorism and bring in suitable changes to the UAPA to sternly deal with it. While admitting that atrocities against Dalits have witnessed an increase under the current DMK rule in Tamil Nadu, he maintains that the Stalin government alone could not be held responsible for it.
“In the present legal framework, only communal/fundamentalist violence is included under terrorism. It is not enough. There is a need to include casteist atrocities directed against Dalits as well. This is more so because of the inadequacy of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. For, caste atrocities are ubiquitous and continue to pose a greater threat to societal peace - be it murders or rape, including that of minors, damage to properties, or mob violence. Hence, there is a need to bring anti-Dalit violence under the ambit of the UAPA,” he argues, adding that he had been raising it in Parliament since 2019.
On whether this would not reduce the issue, which requires political action on the ground to a mere law and order issue, Ravikumar said. In contrast, the need for political will is essential, the approach to the issue and comprehending it requires a fundamental change. From the times of Ambedkar when the Prevention of Civil Rights (PCR) Act was enacted to the SC/ST (PA) Act of 1989, things have changed and so have the social dynamics. On being pointed out that even in countries like the US where racism is an issue, it is not equated with terrorism, he maintained that caste atrocity is more heinous than racism. “In the US, where Afro-Americans secured civil rights in the 1960s, a black president had become a reality,” he countered.
With long innings in the Civil Rights movement, Ravikumar says he is conscious of academics and activists like Anand Teltumbde and others being hauled up by the UAPA in the Bhima Koregaon violence. However, he explains that so long the statue is there it could be enabled to invoke against casteist violence as well.
It is a matter of serious concern that Tamil Nadu, despite having a century-long social justice movement tops the list of states with anti-Dalit atrocities. “Tamil Nadu not only has the template for anti-Dalit atrocities, but for social justice as well. It has both. It is historical as well and we can't single out the the DMK government at present. For, it is a continuation and caste in Tamil Nadu has its peculiarities,” is his argument. He denied the charge that the VCK is not exerting enough pressure on the DMK government because of being an alliance partner.
In his view, it is the growth of the right-wing--RSS and BJP--that has accentuated this and forced political parties on the backfoot besides pushing a change in the political narrative and dynamics --from politics to films. “Public discourse isn't the same as it was a decade ago or so. Though the aggressive right-wing assertion is no barometer for the BJP's growth, it has changed the narrative. This is very much evident. Even the campaign language and speeches at public meetings of the rationalist Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) are not the same as they used to be in the past. The same is the case with the DMK and the Left parties. The right-wing assertion has helped strengthen the anti-Dalit psyche, which is having an impact on them as well. From politics to films, nothing is immune to it,” he explains.
