Dismissing allegations that the PMK orchestrated the recent violence against Dalits in Dharmapuri district, party founder S Ramdoss on Saturday said Dalit men were following women from the Vanniyar community claiming to be in love with them and later duping them.
Addressing a press conference, a day after VCK chief Thirmavalavan accused the PMK of mobilising a mob to ransack the houses of Dalits in three villages, Ramadoss said his party was being implicated in the controversy. The incident was being portrayed along caste lines while the real reason was something else, he said.
Claiming that Vanniyar women being duped after marriage by men from the Dalit community had become a regular problem in the northern districts, Ramdoss called for an end to the “drama” aimed at “taking revenge” on the Vanniyars. The leader added that such incidents were adding to the anger of the affected community. He demanded the government’s intervention to stop such incidents.
Ramadoss further charged that groups with VCK members in it were functioning to encourage Dalit youngsters to stalk Vanniyar girls.
The mob that was responsible for the violence at Dharmapuri had members belonging to other castes as well, Ramdoss said. He alleged that members of the DMK, AIADMK and DMDK participated in the assault.
Ramadoss said the violence was a direct result of intervention of VCK members who allegedly advised the Dalit family to not send the Vanniyar girl, who married the Dalit boy, back to her parents.
Pointing to ground reports, the PMK founder said the mob burnt down only a few houses in the three villages while some other Dalits were encouraged by an official to burn down their own houses, promising them compensation in return. He also dismissed allegations that the party was raking up case emotions to increase vote bank.