CHENNAI: Major political parties in the State seem to be maintaining a studied silence over the murder of inter-caste couple Nandish and Swathi of Hosur. Only the PMK, MDMK, VCK and Left parties have so far condemned what is believed to be a case of ‘’honour killing’’. She hailed from Vanniyar community and her family was said to be angry since she eloped with Nandish, a Dalit. All parties including DMK, DMDK and AMMK have not even yet acknowledged the murder or at least sought a proper probe, political observers say.
The case is the same with national parties, Congress and BJP, and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan, and actor Rajinikanth, it is pointed out. Political observers say the trend had been the same over the last few years and point out that major political parties remained silent during friction between caste Hindu community and Dalits. Fear of losing the vote bank is attributed as the reason.
T Koodalarasan, journalist and political observer, sees this as hesitation of political parties to utter anything that may be unpopular among the influential caste Hindu communities. “District secretaries of major Dravidian parties and local functionaries want to be tight-lipped on the issue. So, the party high command endorses the wishes of the local cadres,” he said.
A few others feel Dravidian parties are driven only by vote bank considerations and not concerned about the underlying social reforms. A Marx, president of Tamil Nadu chapter of People’s Union for Human Rights, said, “There is no surprise since each of them wants to please the majority community and do not want to lose their vote share.
Making a similar observation, political analyst Raveenthran Duraisamy said, “However, PMK’s Dr S Ramadoss has condemned the murders. This should be welcomed.” PMK, a Vanniyar-dominated party, earlier made critical statements against inter-caste marriages and even sought legislation that would make consent of parents mandatory for all inter-caste marriages, observers say.