“We cannot hold U. Muthuramalinga Thevar responsible for how people behaved during the Mudukulathur riots in 1957. We should remember that he distributed his lands to Dalits who worked as cultivating tenants. He was the leader of mill workers,” said author K.A. Manikumar at the launch of his book ‘Mudukulathur Riots: Caste and Electoral Politics in Tamil Nadu’ here at Loyola College on Monday.
Speaking about the difficulties of writing a book on a sensitive subject, Mr. Manikumar said: “I have tried to deal with it as dispassionately as possible. I have just laid the facts before the readers. Since political leaders are often seen as icons of their caste-community, I had to identify every person who played a part. Fortunately, I had access to The Hindu archives and records of the police, which helped me identify a lot of people.”
Disgraceful record
N. Ram, Chairman, Kasturi and Sons Ltd, said that Tamil Nadu, which had managed to keep communal violence in check, had a disgraceful record in dealing with caste discrimination. “These days, history has become a highly contested and a sensitive area. It is very hard to provide a balanced, sensitive and nuanced interpretation of history. You aren’t allowed to criticise the role of leaders...,” he said. Mr. Ram praised the author for providing a critical historical account of what happened in 1957 and for treading a difficult ground as it could lead to a reaction. He had done the job with great skill and sensitivity, he added.
Retired IPS officer K. Vijay Kumar, who received the first copy of the book, said it is difficult to judge what is correct or what is not in such situations. The most difficult months for a policeman are September and October in south Tamil Nadu. There is so much emotional upheaval. The police have to be on their toes during the anniversary of Immanuel Sekaran and Thevar, Mr. Vijay Kumar said. “So, when I read the book, it felt like a crime thriller that happens at a social, political and a philosophical level. I found that 40 years later, many things have changed. The ability to counter the violence by the other side have also changed,” he said.
Stating that the writing a book about a sensitive topic and staying objective wouldn’t have been easy for the author, Vasanthi Devi, former Vice-Chancellor, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, said, “He has stuck to primary sources - police records, journals and interviews. The book throws light on whether the riots were a result of caste conflict between the Thevars and the Pallars or it was all about political confusion.”
Psephologist Venkatesh Athreya lauded the author for meticulous research. Senior CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat was present at the event.
