The villagers are gathering in large numbers before the victim’s victim’s kasty C. Kavin Selvaganesh in Aurumugamangalam in the district of thoothuku. | Photo Credit: N. Rajesh
Two weeks ago in Tirunevel, Kavin Selvaganesh – planned caste youth and employee in a leading IT company – was brutally murdered by the brother of the caste of the Hindu girl who was in love. The Chief Minister of MK Stalin, who easily condemned the arrest of Keral Nuns in the distant Chhattisgarh, has not yet spoken of this bloody crime powered by caste hatred. The leader of the opposition Edapadi K. Palaniswami, who visited the Ajithkumar family, a guardian killed in illegal police custody, did not meet Kavin’s family – only condemned Stalin’s government for “honest” crime. Actor Vijay, founder of Tamilaga vetri Kazhagam and the main minister aspirant, who met protesting against workers in Chennai in Chennai, kept silence on the murder.
Such a silence of politics is not new. While voters from socially marginalized communities are cheated, they are often used as political girls. On the other hand, the political party shows little hesitation in tireless cultivation of the dominant communities belonging to the rear and the most backward classes.
Although leaders, such as former main ministers M. Karunanidhi and Jayalithaa, have led to all communities, they also reluctant to stick their necks and talk against killing in the name of caste pride.
Karunanidhi, personally, surpassed caste barriers by performing several intermediate weddings in his own widespread family. On the election battlefield, Jayalithaa resorted to the tactics of social overworking, such as planned candidates to establish a caste from the general constituencies and their election.
Yet both leaders did not respond in July 2003, when a young couple, Cannagi (Woman Vanniyar) and Murugesan (scheduled caste), were firs and lit before the great assembly of villagers in Vriddhamam in the Cuddalore district. The murder itself came to light a few days later when the Indian Dalit Panthers (now Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi) and the Indian Communist Party (Marxist) raised the red flag. It was the first time that the term “killing of honor” was used in Tamil Nadu to describe a crime controlled by caste hatred.
“If you thought, because Mgesan and Kannagi were openly killed in front of the villagers, there was no complication in the provision of justice, you are wrong,” writes Senior Journalist Ilangovan Rajasecaran, in the chapter ‘Nathhthai Vegathil Neethi “(justice at his pace) PACE) (Justice) (justice) (justice) (justice) (justice).
The factor that limits the political reaction is that in the party’s district units, leadership is often entrusted to the hands of leaders from the dominant caste in the region. Even during election campaigns, it is common for ordinary parties to use the planned caste leaders of the Allied parties, which they plan for votes only in the stations of marginalized parts. They are asked to stay outside the Hinda Kasta streets and fear that they would not tolerate the presence of the planned leader of the caste.
Another worrying feature is that the ordinary parties dealing with political clothing created in the name of their community emancipation, but in fact support caste pride.
However, there are rare cases where the leaders have loudly opposed caste killing. For example, in November 2018, Mr. Stalin, who took over as President of the DMK just three months ago, encouraged his cadre to work to remove discrimination and atrocities based on cassettes and ensure that social justice prevails in Tamil. He pointed out that social justice was at the forefront of the predatian movement, wrote: “But now he is questioned by the growing number of murders in the state. Killing young couples in the name of caste pride is equivalent to destruction.” He said, “Tamil Nadu is a citing murder between the caste in Krishnagiri, who is proud of goodwill and is peaceful. It is unacceptable for the number of people who are grimy in the name of the puffy; it should not be allowed.”
But that was when DMK was in opposition benches. Although Mr. Stalin assured that once his party had formed a government, “we would take all the steps to prevent the killing of a caste and take strict legal steps against such killing,” nothing has changed on Earth in the last four years.
However, DMK sympathizers quote “local level realtors” to prevent the current silence of Mr. Stalin. “Before the last election in the DMK Assembly in his Manifesto, he promised to restore an existing system that would support the marriage between the caste of the bride or the groom is planned caste-and will strengthen financial support for the recipient. DMK had to move the election commission against such a deliberately misleading campaign, the party’s sympathizer said.
But is this reason enough to keep silent in the face of the murder? This is the question of Mainstream’s leaders – and aspiring major ministers – must seriously ask. Until then, silence will continue to speak louder than words.
Published – August 13, 2025 06:00
