Dravidian movement empowered Dalits: TKS Elangovan slams Guv Ravi

CHENNAI: Reacting to Governor R N Ravi's statement of law enforcement and criminal justice system in Tamil Nadu being "awful" when it comes to crime against Dalits, TKS Elangovan responded and said that Dravidian movement empowered lives of several people.

"It is because of the Dravidian movement that Dalits and OBCs, who were denied education & employment, received education and jobs. We empowered them with education & employment," he said.

"There were sporadic incidents created by Hindutva policy of Manu Dharma that some are born upper caste & some lower caste. This is not our culture. It has come from the north, from Manu Dharma. Culprits are promoters of the Hindu religion. None of the BJP leaders, not only Governors, right from the Prime Minister to lowest rung cadre can speak on their own. They have to speak what they were told to speak. There is no place for self-thinking people in BJP or RSS. They have to obey the orders of the high command," he said.

Ravi on Sunday said the response of the law enforcement and criminal justice system in the state is "awful" when it comes to crime against Dalits.

"We have been talking so much about social justice in our state (Tamil Nadu). But every other day, we hear some atrocities against Dalits. It pains to know that rapes against Dalit women, only 7% ends in conviction. Of the 100 rapists, 93 go scot-free and we talk about social justice and Baba Saheeb," said the Governor while releasing the Tamil version of the books 'Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery' and 'Ambedkar & Modi - Reformer's Ideals, Performer's Implementation' at Anna University.

In a veiled attack on the Tamil Nadu government, Ravi pointed out the incident in Pudukkottai's Vengaivasal where human faeces were found in drinking water tank meant for SC and said Dalits were publicly humiliated, assaulted and not allowed to enter temples.