The Pattali Makkal Katchi, a party predominantly of Vanniyars, a most backward class community of the northern districts, is now in a back-to-basics mode, opting for a limited, casteist agenda at the expense of an overly ambitious Tamil nationalist project
When identity-based political parties find their core constituency under threat, they take recourse to the coarsest forms of exclusivist, sectarian politics. In Tamil Nadu, the Pattali Makkal Katchi, a party predominantly of Vanniyars, a most backward class community of the northern districts, is now in a back-to-basics mode, opting for a limited, casteist agenda at the expense of an overly ambitious Tamil nationalist project. After finding itself on the losing side in two successive elections, the 2009 Lok Sabha election and the 2011 Assembly election, the PMK has been struggling to retain its original support base among rural Vanniyars. To win back some of this lost base, party founder S. Ramadoss has now hit upon the strategy of invoking familiar caste demons, pointing to the Dalit community as the natural enemy of the Vanniyars in a long-drawn social conflict. Although the immediate provocation for the revival of the PMK’s casteist agenda appears to be the recent caste-clash in Dharmapuri district following the marriage of a Vanniyar woman with a Dalit man, the real reasons run deeper. As a party too closely identified with Vanniyars, the PMK was unable to rally together large sections of other castes under the banner of Tamil nationalism. Actually, the party made sincere efforts to involve the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, a Dalit party with influence in the same northern parts of the State, in the Tamil nationalist project, using issues such as the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and the Cauvery dispute. But a quantum jump in electoral fortunes eluded both parties. Indeed, for many Vanniyar youth who joined the party fired up on caste pride, the PMK began to lose its charm. It was then only a matter of time before the PMK again resorted to the Vanniyar card to keep the flock together.
However, in trying to win back Vanniyars, Dr. Ramadoss is stoking the embers of a caste conflict. Quite provocatively, the PMK founder is calling for amendments to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, to prevent what he describes as its “misuse” by Dalit youth. If anything, the law needs tightening to ensure better conviction rates. But, for Dr. Ramadoss, this is part of a strategy to draw in all those who want to counter Dalit assertion in northern Tamil Nadu. For a party like the PMK, which is trying to protect a shrinking voter base, caste conflict is the easiest way to polarise votes and mobilise support. But such cynical, manipulative politics offers limited purchase, and is doomed to fail over the long term. The sooner Dr. Ramadoss learns his lessons, the better it would be for the future of the PMK.
Keywords: Pattali Makkal Katchi, TN caste politics
India is a Democracy and It is supposedly secular.....
So why cannot we establish a mechanism in which election commission could start de-recognizing these parties and take them out of our land for ever. Accepted, if that good things happens we may very well loose 98 percent parties, which are anyways feudalistic in their attitude and sectarian in their approach. No religion or region needs any special consideration. Its only economic poor and first time graduates who needs helping hand, period.
It is honestly disgusting to read such articles, not because of the writer or publisher but to see such cheap politicians and political tactics.
It is unfortunate that Ramadoss`s controversial and daring remarks
over intercaste-marriages,has created a stir in the perception of the public,evoking a choler that is felt in a palpable wave
ironically.Tamilnadu has been the trailblazer for sowing seeds of
communal hatred long since.The Dravidian Movements nurtured
casteism actually under the guise of rationalism with irrational ideologies.Those were the ones that targeted a particular communi-
-ty with scathing attacks and most of the other enlisted communiti-
-es were behind the self-styled rationalists,blindly, with little
foresights,and ravaging the innocuous but an ideal community.There
was no voice against the infractions meted out to,at that time.All
other communities that displayed their might in unison,ended up
in wild ridiculous exuberance with overdoses of complacence.There
was absolutely no serious communal conflicts or resentments before Independence.Now,History repeats itself and one has to bear the
brunt!May God help
@K Kannan
"Most Backward Community " is one of the categories of caste categorization in Tamil Nadu, similar to Schedules Castes, Scheduled Tribes etc. In fact, Mr. Ramadoss was instrumental in establishing this category.
There are separate quotas for MBC in State Govt. jobs, University admissions etc. So, the usage is correct.
The entire episode has proved two points. One, the unequivocal stand of The Hindu for not compromising its commitment of safeguarding the interests of oppressed community, though in its crusade might lose some support base in the worst case. Second, the Dharmapuri incident is an eye-opener for it exposed a seemingly porous alliance of all pseudo politicians clamouring for Tamil issues around the world.
Kudos to Hindu for its untired fight against sin if it happens anywhere from Utthapuram or Dharmapuri.
Senthil
The real reason for the caste based polarisation is certainly political ambitions of the party. If it does not win significant seats in the upcoming elections, its recognition will be withdrawn which is worrying Ramadas and co more than the caste pride.
When he joined hands with VCK, did he not realise that joining hands of the leaders will lead to joining hands of the caste members. All his stunts are just political in nature.
Remember, he cried once upon a time nobody from his family will enter parliament or assembly but sent his son as Minister through the backgate. So nobody takes his words seriously as we saw in the recent elections
Whatever may be Dr.Ramadoss’s initial years in politics, for the last
several years, he has better understanding with all political parties
including dalit outfits. He has not instigated anything against any
community. In recent years, he tries to convert his caste based party
into a full fledged responsible political party. Dharmapuri incident is
most unfortunate and it is a local problem despite its communal colour.
The Government is taking measures in this regard. Caste leaders should
not have visited the place that is why the present tension in other
parts of districts. He is a good politician speaking against influence
of alcohol, cinema, smoking habits etc,which affect the youth of all
communities. In this regard, he is doing lot of things for the entire
society. He deserves appreciation. The Hindu’s comment about him could
have been avoided. In general, allCaste leaders should show restraint
while speaking otherwise things would get worst and the same is not
good for Tamilnadu
Now this Caste based Politics is getting old with everyone trying their hand at it by just starting a party consisting of his caste members . India being a secular country , should look to demolish the caste based Political party which will only divide the country further . Parties with more values and futuristic thought should be started and followed !!
K.Kannan you have rightly questioned as to how could anybody
define Vanniars are MBCs.Infact most of the BCs are quite rich to
be classified as backward.Yet they shamelessly demand 'their
pound of flesh'i.e. RESERVATION,.....it is because they have been
classified sometime back.They corner all the benefits which
should actually percolate to their 'caste people' who really
deserve 'reservation'.Reservation has become a 'palliative
drug'.It should continute for eons,rich become richer and the
poor poorer .Equally many qualified and rich people are there
among SCs.Creamy layer only should be given the benefit of
reservation.
It is high time one does away with caste distinctions. it is ironical
that parties which have grown using the agenda of caste based
discrimination are themselves guilty of caste based atrocities. People
must realise that people with narrow agenda will provide only short term
gains
One may find so many reasonable justifications and rationales against a party or politician that sets caste pots boiling in any part of the nation however at the end it is the required number of electoral votes polled comes to the rescue of any political outfit from being extinct.Dr.Ramadoss has his objectives clear as clear as Keynes that,"In the long run we all are dead".As far as electoral arena is concerned it is the short term concern of mandated vote polled by EC stands on top of other things for any political party.PMK and Ramadoss are no exceptions.
Using caste for furthering political power has been the bane of TN politics. Look at the growth of Dravidian party. It started with hatred of brahmins. Posters in my native place cried: "If you see a brahmin and a snake, kill the brahmin first". Today using this caste hatred, they have perched into power. Two decades back, it was the call of Ramdoss to rally Vanniyars to wrest power from the Dravidian party. It failed and so he now takes a new avatar, putting the vanniyars against dalits. Recall the train of incidents against dalits right from the Keelavenmani incident in the sixties to reported Dharmapuri crimes. Vanniyar boss should remember that if vanniyars have the right to assert so has the dalits to assert their rights to progress. It is good that The Hindu warned this in its editorial early enough. Piecemeal reports of the Dharmapuri incidents in the mainstream press have not fully revealed the gravity of the malaise in TN. TN govt.should deal this strongly.
I dont understand how you define that this is a most bacward community. Gounders are most enterprising people. The founder of this party is a doctor and so his son. There are many educated people in the community who are professionally qualified. Many educational institution are run by these people.The entire community is politically strong with VIPs in all the parties who are influential. Most of the lands are owned by these community people.
Then how they are termed as most backward?
God save the Tamilians from caste politics! When will the polarisation of caste in politics end? we have been free from Colonial rule since 1947, but yet to be free from caste?!
As has been pointed out rightly, Dr.Ramadoss and his PMK that has shrunk beyond recovery is resorting to a dangerous communal conflict which will definetly backfire. It is to be noted that he initially launched PMK as a communal outfit and later expanded its votebank by fostering alliance with DMK and AIADMK.After tasting power and influence he took some politically unwise decisions with the notion that PMK would become an alternative to the influential Dravidian parties, driven solely by ambition and self interest. It is appalling to note that he had failed to understand the fact that in Tamil Nadu, his brand of politics which is akin to Mayavathy's or Lalu's basics wouldn't work beyond certain geographical bases, namely the northern districts where Vanniars are in majority. Consequently he is now politically isolated and is widely percieved as divisive as Bal Thackarey. If he fails to stop his hate speeches he will not only lose his political relevance but also invite penal action.
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