CPM blames PMK for Dharmapuri deaths

CPM State secretary G Ramakrishnan on Friday hit out at PMK founder S Ramadoss for issuing a statement absolving his party of any role in the death of Dalit youth Ilavarasan. Even as he noted that PMK cadre might not have actually murdered Ilavarasan, their casteist ways were directly responsible for the death of not only Ilavarasan, but also his father-in-law Nagarajan. He also said the deaths of the two should be treated as honour killings, and demanded separate legislation to prevent such incidents.

“It is more cruel to be remorseless after a crime has been committed, than actually committing the crime itself,” said Ramakrishnan on Ramadoss’s statement.

Ramadoss had hit out at all political parties for accusing the PMK for having a hand in the death of Ilavarasan, whose marriage to Vanniyar-born Divya sparked violence against Dalits in Dharmapuri district in the November of 2012.

Ramakrishnan pointed out that Nagarajan, Divya’s father, had not committed suicide immediately after the intercaste marriage. “It is only because PMK cadre took a casteist view of the marriage and placed so many restrictions that Nagarajan committed suicide. Ramadoss is attributing Ilavarasan’s suicide to him not having a job, his state of mind. To what then will he attribute Nagarajan’s suicide? No one can deny that it was the pressure of casteist elements that Divya has lost both her husband and her father,” said Ramakrishnan.

He also faulted the Madras High Court’s handling of the Habeas Corpus petition filed by Divya’s family for having created an opening for casteist forces to bear down on the situation.

He said the High Court stepped over the conventions of such petitions when it did not close the matter after Divya made an appearance in court. Forces that conspire to push a person towards suicide should also be held guilty, he said.

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