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Region

Dalit Dilemma

In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recited Tamil poet Kaniyan Poonkundranar’s ‘Yaadum Oorey’ verses that denote unity.

By Atif Shamim Syed | May 2021

tamil-nadu

The state of Tamil Nadu lies is at the southern tip of the Indian sub-continent. By area, it is the 10th largest state in India, and the 6th largest by population. It also boasts the 2nd largest state economy with an impressive per capita GDP of USD 3,400.

The state of Tamil Nadu is unique in the sense that it has – for decades - remained unscathed by the electoral machinations of India’s’ two political heavy-weights: the Congress and the BJP. These popular parties have always had very little presence in this southern state.

For years, Tamil Nadu has followed its own version of bi-partisan politics with two main parties alternatively ruling the state. These parties are Dravidic Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

The DMK – currently the opposition party – was founded as a breakaway faction from the Dravida Kazhagam. Since 1969, the DMK was led by a charismatic politician/scholar M. Karunanidhi. After M. Karunanidhi’s demise in 2018, the DMK is currently being led by his son M. K. Stalin.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is a breakaway faction of the DMK which was founded in 1972. Since 1989, the AIADMK was led by J. Jayalalithaa who was extremely popular with the Tamil populace. After J. Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016, Ottakarathevar Panneerselvam took the reins of the party.

The deaths of these two towering politicians not only left a void in Tamil politics, but also exposed the dynastic character of the two major parties in the state. This is one of the reasons why film star Rajinikanth is getting unprecedented support from the general public. Evidently, the people of Tamil Nadu are looking for a leader beyond the remnants of the Jayalalithaa-Karunanidhi duo.

Another factor that adds up in Tamil Nadu’s overall political landscape is the presence of Dalit parties. Both AIADMK and DMK are based on Dravidian politics which assumes that caste and religion will become weakened with the onset of modernity. Yet, both these parties woo Dalit politicians, and seem to be trying to address genuine concerns of this community.

Dalits constitute around 20% of the state’s population. They mostly vote for the entrenched political parties like DMK and AIADMK. However, a smaller number of Dalit voters choose to vote for caste-based political entities, to represent them in the assembly. Dalits are also represented – to a lesser extent – in the state’s mainstream political parties which are controlled and led by men and women from the Other Backward Class (OBC).

There are two main Dalit parties in Tamil Nadu; Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Puthiya Tamilagam (PT). These parties do not fare well when they fight elections on their own. The VCK was unable to win a single seat in the last assembly polls when it formed an alliance with a new front. PT also failed to win any seats despite being allied with one of the main political parties.

The two main Dalit parties have their own differences. VCK is more inclined towards Dravidianism and Tamil nationalism. It is also regarded as fundamentally dissident and anti-state. PT, on the other hand, has a caste-based agenda. Its main objective is to move the community from the Scheduled Caste (SC) list to the Other Backward Class (OBC) list. Owing to its pro-state stance, PT is closer to the BJP whom is deemed sympathetic to its cause.

Despite its say in state politics, the Dalit community of Tamil Nadu still finds itself in a precarious situation. The phenomenon of untouchability still exists, along with caste-based walls and fences throughout the state. Atrocities against Dalits are common. In fact, supporters of the mainstream Dravidian parties are reported to have incited violence against Dalits on several occasions during previous elections. Then, it is not surprising to know that Tamil Nadu holds the distinction of having a higher crime rate against Dalits.

Mainstream parties in the state shy away from condemning caste-based violence. They would usually paint these incidents as a matter of law and order rather than pre-planned anti-Dalit aggression.

Mainstream Dravidian parties understand the Dalit dilemma but rather than addressing the root causes of anti-Dalit sentiment, they cash in on the collective fears of this marginalized community.

One of the manifestations of this blatant electoral opportunism is the continued insistence of mainstream political parties in Tamil Nadu that Dalit parties should use their symbols rather than contesting with their own. This is a deliberate attempt at doing away with the political identity of the Dalit movement and incorporate it into the Dravidian discourse.

The current fractured state of Dalit politics in the state, coupled with the dismal performance of Dalit politicians in the recent elections, has drowned any hopes that this caste may have harboured for upward social mobilization. This fits in with the strategy of mainstream Dravidian parties who are aware that a separate assertive Dalit party will disturb the political equilibrium in the state that they have painstakingly created over the past few decades.

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