Madras HC directive on Dalit writer’s ex-communication charge

The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday directed Pudukottai police to register a case, if a cognisable offence was made out, on the basis of a complaint lodged by a budding Dalit writer alleging threats to ex-communicate his family for having published a short story describing atrocities meted out by the Caste Hindus.

Disposing of his writ petition, Justice T.S. Sivagnanam also directed the Pudukottai Superintendent of Police to monitor the investigation in the case and make sure that no member of a downtrodden community faces atrocities such as ex-communication by kangaroo courts.

He also directed the police to provide police protection to the petitioner, if necessary.

In his affidavit, the writ petitioner, D. Gunasekaran (33) of Kulanthiranpattu in Karambakkudi taluk of Pudukottai district, said that he was the eldest son of a landless farm labourer. Though he managed to step into school, he could not continue his studies beyond Class VIII. Nevertheless, he and his father were active members of Communist Party of India (Marxist).

His counsel R. Karunanidhi said that his village consisted of about 80 Dalit families and 100 Caste Hindu families.

The petitioner used to question the atrocities meted out to the Dalits by people belonging to the dominant community and hence he was disliked by the latter. Recently, he released his story titled ‘Oorar Varaindha Oviyam,’ explaining caste discrimination in his village.

Irked over it, members of the dominant community pressurised seven Dalit elders in his village to summon petitioner’s father and direct him to vacate the village along with his family within 10 days. Though a complaint was lodged with the police, they were yet to register a First Information Report and arrest those accused of conducting the kangaroo court, he said.

The counsel also pointed out that in 2005, a Division Bench of the High Court had directed the State authorities to take strong action against those “unlawful, hooligan activities” and observed that “Kattapanchayats (kangaroo courts) could not flourish in the first place without the collusion of the police and other authorities or by their turning a blind eye to these unlawful activities.”