2019 Ponparappi violence

Last updated
2019 Ponparappi violence
Violence against Dalit community in Ponparappi, Tamil Nadu
Date18 April 2019
Location
Ponparappi, Tamil Nadu
Caused byCaste tensions, Political tensions
Methods Rioting, assault
Casualties
Injuries18
Damage
  • 65-115 Dalit houses damaged
  • 25 Dalit houses completely damaged

The 2019 Ponparappi violence happened on April 18, 2019, during the polling day for the 2019 Indian general election in the village of Ponparappi, Tamil Nadu. The violence reportedly started as scuffles and agitations between the supporters of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the members of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) together with the members of Hindu Munnani, which reportedly led to violence by the members of the PMK on a Dalit colony. 60 to115 Dalit houses were damaged and Dalits were assaulted.

Contents

Tensions started during the polling for the 2019 Indian general election where some members of the Hindu Munnani reportedly broke a pot which is the election symbol of the VCK and when some members of the PMK reportedly prevented an elderly Dalit person to vote in the elections. These tensions led to scuffles and stone pelting between the two parties. Later a mob of 100 people reportedly belonging to the PMK went on to attack the Dalit colony damaging Dalit owned houses, house-hold items and vehicles and assaulted Dalit people including women and children. There were also reports of sexual abuse on Dalit women. [1]

The Study carried out by the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) blamed the Hindu Munnani and the PMK for the Violence. MIDS also reported that the attack was "pre-planned and murderous".

Background

The village of Ponparappi is situated in the Ariyalur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The village had over 300 families belonging to the Dalit community and 1000 families belonging to the Vanniyar caste. The Dalits also had to cross into the area of the dominant caste Vanniyars for Swachh Bharat and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) schemes. [2]

The popularity of the Hindu Munnani, a Hindutva outfit, had grown among the dominant caste Vanniyars owing to the presence of Christians among the Scheduled Caste population. [3]

Election violations

Frequent violent incidents, repeated casting of votes, mass deletion of names of voters and such were recorded on polling day from several parts of the State. In the Dharmapuri lok sabha constituency's Nathamedu village in Pappireddipatti, men reportedly belong to the PMK were seen casting fraudulent votes. A security officer of the CISF at Keezhvisharam in Vellore fired shots in the air to break two different groups of party members engaging in fist fights. [4]

Tensions

Tensions reportedly began when some people belonging to Vanniyar caste tried to prevent an elderly person to vote, the person voted with the help of the police and when members of the Hindu Munnani shattered an earthen pot under alcoholic influence at the front of the panchyat office where the polling took place for the 2019 Indian general election. The earthen pot was the election symbol of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. MIDS blamed PMK that it spread a rumor that a Dalit youth assaulted a differently abled Vanniyar man, who used to sell alcohol in the region. [1] The animosity between the two parties intensified, leading to scuffles, stone pelting and damaging of the VCK party flag on the road side. [3] [5] [4]

Attacks

The attacks started in April 2019 when a mob of about 100 dominant caste members, reportedly belonging the PMK party, an ally of the AIADMK and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), entered the Dalit colony on the polling day of the 2019 Indian general election and went on a rampage attacking the Dalits including the children and women and damaging motor bikes. [6] [7] The violence lasted for an hour and left 2 Vanniyars and 16 Dalits injured. Nearly 65 houses and 12 two-wheelers were reportedly damaged as per initial reports. [8] [9]

Over 100 people had abstained from voting as a result of the attack, though some Dalit students who graduated classes 10th and 12th did not go to get their certificates since their schools were located in the Vanniyar region. [2]

Investigations

The Madras Institute of Developmental Studies (MIDS) carried out a study on April 25 which reported that the PMK and the Hindu Munnani were responsible for the attacks. The team also reported that the Dalit women were pulled out of their homes, and were verbally and sexually abused by the assailants. While women pleaded them to leave, the assailants proceeded to abuse the women. [1] The team also termed the violence as "preconceived and murderous". [2]

Evidence, a rights organization based in Madurai, which conducted an evaluation on the spot and reported that 115 houses had been damaged and 25 among them were completely damaged, 13 people were hospitalized and many sustained injuries to the head. The organization reported that the attackers have used derogatory language against women and victims. The founder of the organization, Kathir reported that the residents of the Dalit colony voted overwhelmingly for the VCK, which angered the PMK and led to the violence. [4] The organization also requested to call the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) instead of allowing the police to investigate the violence. [10]

Arrests

25 cases were filed against the members of the Hindu Munnani and the PMK by the police which included a member of the Hindu Munnani who was also accused in the 2016 Ariyalur gang rape case. The police also filed 24 cases against the Dalits as counter FIR's to force them to come into terms. [2] [11] [12]

After the violence 9 men belonging to the VCK were also arrested for circulating offensive audio related to the violence. [9]

Political reactions

The fact-finding team of the Tamil Nadu state unit of the Congress SC and ST cell reported that the police officers stayed as a silent spectator as of the dominant caste group targeted Dalits and their properties. [13] They also claimed that the PMK and the Hindu Munnani were responsible for the violence. [14] The Party's general secretary K. Jeyakumar, said that violence happens only in the areas where the PMK is in the majority. [15]

The Amma Makkal Munnetra kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary TTV Dinakaran also blamed the police for failing to prevent the attack. [16]

The PMK asserted that the conflict on the day of polling was staged by the VCK to frame the PMK. [14] [17]

M K Stalin, the president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam condemned the violence and also urged the Chief Electoral Officer and DGP for Election to take measures to develop the people into fraternity. [18] [19]

Thol Thirumavalavan, the general secretary of the VCK blamed the PMK and the Hindu Munnani for the violence and also said that the AIADMK and BJP have unleashed violence in various places for fear of losing the elections in Tamil Nadu. In particular, the PMK is inciting caste-based violence to win the polls. [20] He also stated that he would seek for a re-poll and said that 150 homes were damaged during the violence. [21] [5] He also said that the police remained as a mute spectators. [22]

Vaiko of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam condemned the violence and also blamed the police for failing to stop the violence. [23]

Kamal Haasan compared the violence with his delayed drama Marudhanayagam which talks about caste violence 300 years ago. [24] He also said that the violence is a shame to the entire Tamil race. [25]

See also

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 4 "Attack on Dalits in Ponparappi was preconceived and murderous: MIDS study". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  3. 1 2 "Simmering animosity led to attack on SCs in Ponparappi: fact finding team". The Hindu. 2019-04-25. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  4. 1 2 3 Rajasekaran, Ilangovan. "Dalits in Tamil Nadu village attacked for voting in election". Frontline - The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  5. 1 2 "Police security beefed up in Ponparappi, but Dalits fear escalation of tension". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  6. ↑ Jaisankar, C. (2019-04-23). "Violence-hit Ponparappi limps back to normality". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  7. ↑ "20 Dalit Homes Allegedly Attacked by PMK Workers in Ariyalur". NewsClick. 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  8. ↑ Ravishankar, Sandhya. "How WhatsApp Facilitated Serial Caste Clashes In Tamil Nadu". The Lede. Retrieved 2020-09-06.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. 1 2 "Police arrest 9 men for circulating offensive audio related to Ponparappi violence". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  10. ↑ TNN. "Call for NHRC probe into poll day violence against dalits | Trichy News - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-01-17. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  11. ↑ Jaisankar, C. (2019-04-21). "12 held for attack on Dalits in Ponparappi". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  12. ↑ Venkatesh, M. R. (2019-04-22). "Post-poll scene in Tamil Nadu, a mirror to recurring caste-based violence". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  13. ↑ TNN (Apr 25, 2019). "Police were mute witness to Ponparappi incident: Congress | Trichy News - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2019-10-23. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  14. 1 2 "Congress fact-finding team blames PMK for Ponparappi clash". The Hindu. 2019-04-24. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  15. ↑ "பாமகவினர் அதிகம் உள்ள இடங்களில்தான் வன்முறை நடக்கிறது - கே.ஜெயக்குமார் காட்டம்!!". NDTV.com (in Tamil). Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  16. ↑ "Cong, CPM, TTV blame police for Ariyalur violence". dtNext.in. 2019-04-21. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  17. ↑ "VCK fearing defeat blaming us, says PMK". dtNext.in. 2019-04-24. Archived from the original on 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  18. ↑ "MK Stalin condemns attack, other incidents on election day". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  19. ↑ "வீடுகளை உடைக்கும் பழக்கத்திற்கு மீண்டும் தூபம்-பொன்பரப்பி சம்பவத்திற்கு ஸ்டாலின் கண்டனம்". Kalaignar Seithigal. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  20. ↑ Hemavandhana (2019-04-19). "பாமக போல சாதி கட்சிகள் இருந்தால் சமூக ஒற்றுமை எப்படி ஏற்படும்.. திருமா கேள்வி". OneIndia (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  21. ↑ Kolappan, B. (2019-04-22). "It is my duty to liberate Vanniyars from PMK's clutches: VCK leader". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  22. ↑ Mariappan, Julie. "Why didn't police fire in air to drive away rampaging mob: VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan | Chennai News - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2019-12-05. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  23. ↑ "பொன்பரப்பி வன்முறை சம்பவம்: டாக்டர் ராமதாஸ், வைகோ கண்டனம்". Dailythanthi.com. 2019-04-20. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  24. ↑ "Kamal Haasan tweet points to shameful caste violence". Deccan Chronicle. 2019-04-21. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  25. ↑ Veerakumar (2019-04-20). "பொன்பரப்பி சம்பவங்கள், தமிழ் இனத்திற்கே பெரும் அவமானம்.. கமல்ஹாசன் கடும் கோபம்". OneIndia (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 2019-04-21. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
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