Dalits in Tamil Nadu to observe August 15 as black day

Friday, August 15, will be a black day for dalits in Tamil Nadu -- at least, that's how nearly half the dalit organisations there want it.

Following the 'moderate' success of the dalit procession in Madras last week, community leaders have called for observing the 50th Indian Independence anniversary as 'black'.

This, dalit leaders feel, would be a suitable protest against the 'authorities' atrocities' towards them. Besides, it would present a 'unified face' to their fight and 'ensure electoral and political reckoning worth their numbers.'

"Wednesday's rally was to highlight our grievances and demand the release of all our leaders arrested without cause in the last so many months. But even there, the police acted oppressively," says a senior dalit leader, "They prevented truck-operators from transporting our activists -- under pretence of checking for weapons, they blocked many trucks midway."

Intelligence sources put the strength of the rally at around 5,000, against the expected 50,000. However, given the governmental curbs, they concede even this is a respectable figure. "Assembling a crowd of 5,000 at distant Madras when the dalit support-base is in the southern districts is something worth noting."

The government had provided strong security cover to the rally -- at some places, it was noted, there were more police personnel than the rallyists themselves, making them feel 'encircled and suffocated.'

"It was a humiliation to the community," say dalit leaders, "We were painted black. No other community has faced such a situation. Even the once-violent Vanniar community had been allowed to hold processions in Madras without so much vigilance and checks."

Of the 20-25 dalit organisations in the state, only 14 had joined the rally. The rally organisers believe the Independence day-protest would help find a common platform to fight the authorities.

"We constitute nearly 24 per cent of the voters in the state, yet we do not come into any electoral reckoning by political parties," says the same leader, "Our idea is to present a unified picture first, and then negotiate with other political parties for support. The dalits by themselves cannot win many seats. But in most constituencies, we can influence the results substantially."

However, political observers and intelligence agencies feel they are too ill-organised to effect anything major. "There are too many organisations, each with their own agenda. Some are militants with no democratic or political programme. Others, like the Panchami Land Protection Committee, are purely localised ones. Even the bigger, organised groups do not command the loyalty of even 10 to 20 per cent of the dalit voters,' intelligence sources say.

"The community is divided both on casteist and political lines and do not have a leader who inspires confidence," points out a Tamil Manila Congress leader.

On the caste front, he continues, the dalits are divided into Pallars and the Parayars. 'Their mutual distrust is appalling. The Parayars consider themselves superior to the Pallars. There are no inter-caste marriages or other societal transactions between them."