Untouchable citizens : Dalit movements and democratisation in Tamil Nadu

399 Pages·2005·108.529 MB·English

by  Gorringe, Hugo

UNTOUCHABLE CITIZENS
Cultural Subordination and the Daht Challenge
Series Editors: Simon R. Charsley and G.K. Karanth
Across much of the contemporary world, culturally distinct sections
of the national populations that have been the victims of systematic
repression and institutionalised maltreatment are acquiring a new
consciousness and developing new strategies to contest their disad
vantaged condition.
Cultural Subordination and the Dalit Challenge is a series that ex
plores-for Indian and other parts of the world-both the processes
of cultural repression and the ways in which they are being overcome.
It explores the different forms that repression has taken in different
societies. In some, there has been a denial of recognition, of oppor
tunities (both social and political), and of cultural autonomy. In others,
it has been the ascription of a stigmatised status on various bases such
as class, gender, age, race, religion and caste. This series examines
the assistance which has been attempted through policies of positive
discrimination, the strategies pursued by the disadvantaged themselves
to transform their situation, and the opportunities and problems of the
future of their societies. The coverage of the series is both historical
as well as contemporary, and brings together economic, political, social
and cultural studies and those that necessarily transcend these distinc
tions.
Cultural Subordination and the Dalit Challenge will provide an
academic perspective to bring about an understanding of the real
problems of the contemporary world where an informed analysis is
so urgently needed.
Other Titles in this Series
Dalit Assertion and the Unfinished Democratic Revolution (2002)
Sudha Pai
Dalit Identity and Politics (2001) Ghanshyam Shah (ed.)
Challenging Untouchability (1998) Simon R. Charsley and G.K.
Karanth (eds)
UNTOUCHABLE CITIZENS
Dalit MoveInents and DeInocratisation In
TaInil Nadu
Cultural Subordination and the Dalit Challenge,
Volmne 4
Hugo Gorringe
SAGE Publications
New Delhi IT housand Oal<s IL ondon
Copyright © Hugo Gorringe, 2005
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
First published in 2005 by
Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd
8-42, Panchsheel Enclave
New Delhi 110 017
Sage Publications Inc ~ Sage Publications Ltd
2455 Teller Road 1 Oliver's Yard,
Thousand Oaks, California 91320 55 City Road, London EC1 Y 1SP
Published by Tejeshwar Singh for Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd, typeset
by InoSoft Systems in 10/12 Souvenir LtBt and printed at Chaman
Enterprises, New Delhi.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gorringe, Hugo, 1975-
Untouchable citizens: Dalit movements and democratisation in Tamil
Nadu/Hugo Gorringe.
p. cm.-(Cultural subordination and the Dalit challenge; v. 4)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Dalits-India-Tamil Nadu-Political activity. 2. Dalits-India-Tamil
Nadu-Social conditions. 3. Democratisation-India-Tamil Nadu. I. Title.
II. Series.
DS422.C3G88 305.5 '688 '095482-dc22 2004 2004019122
ISBN: 0-7619-3323-9 (Hb) 81-7829-453-2 (lndia-Hb)
Sage Production Team: Abantika Banerjee, Jai S. Prasad, Radha Dev
Raj and Santosh Rawat
It is clear today, contrary to Gandhi's opinion, that the Untouch
ables will not finally be emancipated save by themselves: the
good will of their politician superiors cannot be enough
-Louis Dumont
The innocent children playing here in the dust today, these
guileless, defenceless children should not be enslaved in future.
They should not, like us, be imprisoned in cheris. They need to
live from generation to generation with all the benefits and
freedom available to others. In order to protect their future, we
need to make sacrifices today ... As a child of your house I feel
obliged to tell you something. Instead of merely blaming others
for the problems of this village, attempt to unite amongst
yourselves forgetting your grievances, religions and differences
-Thirumavalavan (18 July 1999)

CONTENTS
List of Abbreviations 9
Series Editors' Note 11
Acknowledgements 15
Introduction: Untouchability Undone? 19
1. Mapping the Movement: Introducing the Liberation
Panthers 53
2. Democracy, Demonstrations and Disorder: Social
Mobilisation and Socio-Political Change 85
3. Victimisation, Violence and Valour: The Context of
Dalit Activism in Tamil Nadu 112
4. Costs, Coercion and Caste: The Material Context
of Dalit Protest 146
5. Identity, Space and Power: The Spatial Bases and
Practices of the DPI 169
6. Dalit Women and Dalit Movements: Agency,
Autonomy and Activism 219
7. Leaders and Leadership: Movement Organisation
and Membership Debates 241
8. The Move to Politics: The Institutional Self-
Transformation of the Liberation Panthers 273
9. 'Voting for Ourselves': Dalit Politics and the 1999
Elections in Tamil Nadu 303
Conclusion: Critical Citizens-The Liberation
Panthers and Democratisation in India 328
Appendix 349
Bibliography 352
Index 380
About the Author 398

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ADMK Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
AIADMK All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
AIPP All-India Paraiyar Peravai
AMI Ambedkar People's Movement
BC Backward Castes
BSP Bahujan Samaj Party
DLM Dalit Liberation Movement
DMK Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
DPI Dalit Panther Iyakkam
DPM Dalit Panther Movement
ESRC Economic and Social Research Council
FI Female Infanticide
LTTE Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
MBC Most Backward Caste
MDMK Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
NSM New Social Movements
PDS Public Distribution System
PI Penurimai Iyakkam
PMK Paatai Makkal Katchi
PP Paraiyar Peravai
PT Puthiya Tamizhagam
PWG People's War Group
RPI Republican Party of India
SRM Self-Respect Movement
TAYF Tamizhaga Arundhadiar Youth Front
TDLM Tamilaga Dalit Liberation Movement
TIP Tiyagi Immanuel Peravai
TMC Tamil Maanila Congress
TTS Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary
UN United Nations
VDS Village Development Society
WCAR World Conference Against Racism
WPM Working Peasant' 5 Movement