After VCK, CPI hits out at PMK

Close on the heels of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan blaming the PMK for the violence against Dalit villagers in Dharmapuri, CPI State secretary D Pandian indirectly lashed out at PMK MLA and Vanniyar Sangam president J Guru for the growing intolerance of inter-caste marriages.

Speaking at a seminar on casteism organised by the CPI here, Pandian said that “both caste and religion are sensitive issues and the spark generated at a conference at Mamallapuram has caught fire in Dharmapuri”, apparently hitting out at Guru who spoke against inter-caste marriages at the PMK’s annual Chitra Pournami conference at Mamallapuram this year.

While progressive political parties were nearly hundred years old, the institutions of caste and religion were several millennia old and a determined and uncompromising struggle was required to eradicate the evil, he said.

“Ultimately, the growth of science and technology will triumph over evils like casteism. But, the time taken for the eradication of the evil should be made shorter for the human community to progress faster,” Pandian noted.

A majority of voters in Tamil Nadu were supporting Dravidian parties that were formed to eradicate social evils like caste. 

However, those parties were caught in a vicious cycle and compromised with their core issue of casteism to gain power and retain it. 

Progressive parties should come forward to fight casteism in an uncompromising way without caring for short term political gains, Pandian said.

Party district secretary D Indrajit said the growing trend of privatisation had rendered reservation for the backward and scheduled communities meaningless, as private companies refused to follow reservation in employment.

The special economic zones formed for setting up private firm had been exempted from reservation policies.

“If communities at the bottom of society and at the top layers are made to compete for jobs, the unequal race will deprive the oppressed sections of employment and progress,” he stressed and added that new methods to uplift oppressed classes should be found.

Meanwhile, CPI national secretary D Raja said whether the State and Central governments were allocating the stipulated funds to the schemes drawn up for the welfare of SC/STs under the special component schemes or not should be closely monitored.

Diverting funds meant for the special component schemes to other projects was illegal and unconstitutional, he added.

During a press meet on Friday last, Thirumavalavan had said that the PMK instigated the violence to “gain political mileage.”