Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader, Thol. Thirumavalavan, on Monday said he had not made any adverse comments against people belonging to Vanniyar community, but only criticised the Pattali Makkal Katchi advocate, K.Balu, for “instigating” people of Melpathi in connection with a temple-related problem.
Addressing a public meeting organised in Madurai to protest against attack on Dalits at Thirumogur near here, the MP claimed all through his political career he had never spoken ill of any community though Dalits were under their attack.
According to him, Mr. Balu’s assurance to Vanniyar people, who had prevented entry of Dalits into Droupadiamman temple in Melpathi of Villupuram district, of maintaining the temple’s tradition (of not allowing Dalits to offer prayers) and take it up even with Supreme Court was only an instigation against the Dalits.
“Why should the Dalits, who pay tax and donation for the temple, be not allowed inside it? Is Mr. Balu’s assurance not illegal? Is he not misguiding his own community people,” Mr. Thirumavalavan asked.
He alleged the PMK was trying to misguide and exploit the “casteist sentiments” of the community people.
Mr. Thirumavalavan charged the “social engineering” taken up by PMK founder, S. Ramadoss, by mobilising various backward classes people against the Dalits, led to the riots in Dharmapuri. “Dr. Ramadoss is the father of casteist and regressive forces in Tamil Nadu,” he claimed. In his view, only after formation of PMK from a caste association, “did many caste outfits turned into political parties in the State, where the political narrative had remained social justice, equality, women’s rights and State autonomy”.
The MP claimed he had always tried to prevent enmity and clashes between Dalits and other communities and never instigated violence.
Listing out several incidents of atrocities unleashed on Dalits in Madurai district in recent times, Mr. Thirumavalavan said as a democratic force it was his duty to raise the voice for the victims. “This cannot be construed as VCK protesting against the DMK,” he clarified.
Likening the PMK’s “casteist” stand to that of the religious stand of Sanatana forces, he said VCK would never align with the PMK and the Bhartiya Janata Party even if it meant decimation of his party in electoral politics.
Tamil Puligal Katchi leader, Nagai Thiruvalluvan, director of Madurai-based NGO, Evidence, A. Kathir, were among those who spoke.
