Rejecting arguments that he was “anti-Dalit”, PMK founder S Ramadoss on Tuesday slammed DMK chief M Karunanidhi for accusing the PMK of playing dangerous politics with caste and said the remarks highlighted the grudge that he held for the Vanniyar community.
In a statement, Ramadoss said that in 2001, the DMK leader formed an alliance to unite all caste leaders in the State. When he was asked if it was a casteist alliance (Sadhi Kootani), he deftly remarked that it was an “achieving alliance” (Sadhikkum Kootani). “If Karunanidhi brings together caste organisations for the sake of power, it is an achieving alliance, whereas when we do it, it becomes caste politics,” he charged.
Recalling incidents in the past, including the 1968 Venmani massacre, Ramadoss said Karunanidhi failed to come to the aide of Dalits.
On occasions, he even found fault with the Dalits for fomenting trouble. “Such a leader trying to showcase himself as the saviour of Dalits is what caste politics is,” he alleged.
Rebutting criticisms of other leaders, Ramadoss said he was never against inter-caste marriages and was only opposing deliberate dramas enacted by Dalit youth to lure women of other communities.