If one goes by a series of events that have transpired over the last month in Tamil Nadu, there is clear indication that fringe elements, claiming to represent the views of a larger majority, have begun to run amuck.
When a television channel aired promos of a debate on thaali, its office in Ekaduthangal came under attack by Hindutva groups. Country bombs were hurled on its premises, forcing the channel to eventually cancel the broadcast of the show.
Days later, the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), led by K. Veeramani, announced a ‘ thaali’ removal event at the Periyar Thidal, claiming to counter the gross interference by fringe Hindutva groups into individuals’ freedom of expression by attacking the television channel. The event was stayed by the High Court, but it went ahead before the order reached the DK office. When a few persons claiming to be part of the Shiv Sena in Tamil Nadu tried to attack Periyar Thidal, they were arrested.
In the days that followed, messages of hate were exchanged by both sides on Facebook and Twitter. Provocative pictures of Periyar’s photos, which were being misused by Hindutva outfits, began to do rounds. All this culminated in the attack on a priest in Chennai on Tuesday by members of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DVK). The elderly man was beaten up near his house in Mylapore and his poonal (sacred thread) was cut.
Orchestrating such violent acts is the typical strategy of fringe elements to remain relevant and in spotlight. Given the lack of larger support for their politics, the organisations seek to survive through such dramatic actions. In this endeavour, the groups, despite claiming to be on two extremes of the political spectrum, feed on each other’s behaviour and attempt to drum up support.
The silence of the mainstream has also helped the fringe outfits in carrying out their agenda with disdain. When the television channel was attacked last month, the BJP condemned the action, but with a rider that no one had the right to offend long-held religious sensibilities. Consciously or otherwise, the statement read more like a justification of the retaliation, though the method utilised was condemned.
On the other hand, the violence on the priest on Tuesday was met with deathly silence by mainstream parties in the State. With the exception of the Congress and the BJP, no one raised their voice against this uncivilised behaviour.
Political commentator Gnani Sankaran, citing the attack on the priest, says that such actions could never be associated with Periyar, who wanted systemic changes through non-violent ways. “These persons should not call themselves Periyarites. Such gross violation of rights can never come under the ambit of rationalism,” he opines.
On extreme Hindutva outfits, he says such elements have been used as ‘henchmen’ to carry out activities that a few larger organisations cannot do on their own.
While the DVK has maintained that the attack on the priest was an emotional outburst and not its prescribed programme, the incident only reflects the need to rein in the fringe in any outfit. The mainstream parties remaining mute spectators would only encourage them further.
Attacks on priests in Chennai go to show that marginal outfits resort to extreme measures to remain in spotlight
