Caste wars in Tamil Nadu: 200 Dalit houses burnt in Dharmapuri
Reported by Sam Daniel Stalin, Edited by Amit Chaturvedi | Updated: December 10, 2012 13:36 IST
Chennai: Three Dalit villages that showed phenomenal socio-economic development in Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri district today stand gutted and ruined. More than 200 houses were burnt and looted here on November 7, allegedly by upper caste Vanniar community; their belongings, tools and vehicles reduced to ashes.
These villages were once under the grip of the Naxals. But now, the Vanniars, Dalits allege, are unleashing a reign of terror as they couldn't stand their economic development.
The trouble began with a love marriage between a Dalit man and a Vanniar woman over a month ago in the Natham village. The bride refused to return home and her embarrassed father committed suicide. The Dalits allege this enraged the Vanniars who then set the houses on fire and looted their cash and jewellery.
Dalits say their economic prosperity was the real target of attack. In the past the community served the Vanniars; now thanks to social justice reforms, many are entrepreneurs, employed in government and private sector. Duraisamy, a Dalit ex-serviceman who is also the uncle of the bridegroom, has lost all his property. He told NDTV, "For three generations our family has been sending our men to the Army. We had a huge collection of artefacts from all the places we had served, and all are gone now." He adds, "In education, economy and cleanliness we are much better now, that's a reason. We no longer go to them to work as slaves. We don't know why this casteist fanaticism."
Caste wars in Tamil Nadu: 200 Dalit houses burnt in Dharmapuri | NDTV.com
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