Dalits facing 'large-scale atrocities' in Tamil Nadu: Union Minister L Murugan

NEW DELHI: Union Minister L Murugan on Tuesday alleged large-scale atrocities were taking place against Dalits in Tamil Nadu and claimed that even political leaders were not safe in the state under the DMK government.

A delegation of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, led by the party's state vice president VP Duraisamy, will approach the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Human Rights Commission later in the day, urging them to take appropriate action in the matter, Murugan told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

Senior leaders of the BJP Tamil Nadu unit, including Duraisamy, were present at the press conference.

"After the DMK came to power in May 2021, there has been a tremendous increase in the atrocities against Dalits in Tamil Nadu. A survey is telling that every year more than 2,000 cases of atrocities against Dalits are filed in the state," Murugan said.

He referred to a series of incidents of alleged atrocities against Dalits since 2022 and some attacks and murders of BJP leaders in the state, putting the blame on the "complete failure" of Chief Minister M K Stalin.

"Recently, K Armstrong, a Dalit leader and BSP state president was murdered," he said, alleging that "even political leaders are not safe" in the state under the DMK rule.

"Scheduled caste leaders and people do not have security. They are facing harassment under the DMK government," he said.

In April 2023, the Union minister said, that Tamil Nadu BJP treasurer Shankar was murdered, followed by "the brutal killing" of a student in August 2023.

A local DMK official "fatally attacked" Jagan Pandian, leader of the BJP Tamil Nadu youth wing, in another incident, he charged.

"A delegation of BJP Tamil Nadu unit, led by Duraisamy, is going to submit a memorandum to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Human Rights Commission today in this connection, urging them to take appropriate action in the matter," the Union minister said.

Murugan said the DMK claims that it is the pioneer of social justice but the ruling party is not following the idea of social justice in the state.

A survey conducted by the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front revealed that in 22 villages, panchayat presidents were denied chairs and obstructed from carrying out their duties due to caste discrimination, he said

"Stalin doesn’t have the moral right to talk about social justice because of the incidents of atrocities against Dalits taking place in the state," the Union minister charged.

Murugan, former president of the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP, also took on the Congress, the DMK ally, questioning its silence over the recent hooch tragedy which claimed several lives in the state.

"Nearly 70 people died in that incident in Kallakurichi. More than 40 per cent of them belonged to Scheduled Caste. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi didn't go there," he charged.

"Rahul Gandhi is visiting Hathras and other places but why does he forget the way to Tamil Nadu," Murugan asked.