Alleging that incidents of violences against Dalits were consistently on the rise in Tamil Nadu, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan blamed the State government for being indifferent to these atrocities.
Speaking at a protest meeting here on Saturday organised by the party condemning recent instances of violence against Dalits in Madurai district, he said Dalit activists working against caste discrimination and to uphold human rights were being targeted in particular in the recent spate of violences.
Recent murder
He was referring in particular to the recent murder of Muthalagu alias Muthamizhan, an activist and a VCK functionary, in Vadapalanji near Nagamalai Pudukottai allegedly by a group of caste Hindus.
He also condemned another incident in Chinna Udaippu near Perungudi here, in which a group of miscreants attacked a few Dalits and allegedly attempted to damage the statues of Ambedkar and Immanuel Sekaran in the area.
Stating that a majority of these violent incidents could be attributed to inefficient implementation of the Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he urged the State government to ensure that the perpetrators got punished.
He also demanded the government to immediately sanction ₹ 50 lakh as compensation to the family of thirty-five-year-old Mr. Muthalagu, who was survived by his wife and young children.
Hundreds of VCK cadres and family members of Muthalagu took part in the protest. Around ₹ 1 lakh raised by the party from its cadres was handed over to the family of Muthalagu during the protest.
