Protesting the denial of entry to Dalits by Vanniyars at the Melpathi Draupathi Amman temple in Villupuram, VCK leader Thirumavalavan gave an hour-long speech at a meeting organized in Valluvar Kottam, Chennai. However, the VCK leader left no stone unturned and used the opportunity to spew venom on Brahmins.
The Sri Dharmaraja Draupadi Amman Temple in Melpathi village, Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district, has been sealed by the District administration after ongoing tensions between Vanniyars and Dalits regarding temple entry. Vanniyars protested against Dalit entry, claiming it violated temple customs.
According to a report in The Hindu, Vanniyars have said that the deity is their kuladeivam (clan deity) and so the HRCE department had no right over the temple.
The temple closure was ordered under Section 145(1) of the CrPC due to potential law and order issues. In April 2023, Vanniyars allegedly assaulted three Dalit youths attempting to enter the temple, triggering protests and road blockades. MP D. Ravikumar and district officials held discussions, but the situation remained unresolved. Despite initial reports of a resolution, tensions escalated, leading to the temple’s closure. Security personnel have been stationed to ensure law and order in the village.
While this is an issue between Vanniyars and Dalits, Thirumavalavan went on to denounce Brahmins. During his hour-long speech, Thirumavalavan expressed his apprehension regarding the “growing reverence” for Veer Savarkar, stating that portraying him as a great leader could be dangerous.
Thiruma doing his brahmin bashing by calling them as masterminds behind Hindutva, desiring a nation. With such power, why should they undergo these much of struggles, face crimes, hatred, insults in Tamilnadu and rest of the country. Hate crime peddlers thriving under #D https://t.co/e0aNLQx3Zg pic.twitter.com/sEk27tnh6F
— Baskar (@bas_viveka) June 11, 2023
He further argued that what is being labelled as a Hindu Rashtra is essentially a Brahmin Rashtra, highlighting the alleged desire of Brahmins to create a nation exclusively for their community. He emphasized that India, with its diverse linguistic groups, already has separate regions like Tamil Nadu for Tamil speakers and Hindi-speaking regions for those who speak Hindi.
Thirumavalavan suggested that if the country were to be divided along linguistic lines, each native language group would have its own nation, ensuring the safety and representation of its people.
However, he claimed that Brahmins face a predicament in identifying their “own” country, as their spoken language, Sanskrit, does not have a corresponding land like Tamil Nadu or a Hindi-speaking region. He alleged that Brahmins aspire to claim the entire nation as their own, and the political strategy of Hindutva is being employed to fulfill their objectives.
The VCK leader also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had fallen into the trap of Hindutva and doing so merely for political gain. Thirumavalavan claimed that they have been ensnared in the illusion created by Hindutva, compromising their positions and authority in the process.
This is not the first time that Thirumavalavan has spoken against Brahmins; a few months ago, at a protest rally in Chennai, he threatened to chase Brahmins, BJP, and RSS out of Tamil Nadu.
Abusing Vanniyar Community
The Viduthalai Siruthaigal Katchi leader went on to abuse the Vanniyar community in the most derogatory way. He criticised the members of the Vanniyar community and demeaned them by saying the community members as fools, adding “your caste intelligence, nothing will enter your head. You don’t even understand the law”.
He goes on to speak in a derogatory manner further saying, “Now that the court has locked the temples, will you “shake” the lock that is hanging?”. He calls them “people of low intelligence (tharkuri) who are rooted in ignorance”. He also calls the Vanniyar community leaders “மோசடி பேர்வழிகள்”/”frauds who cheat their own community members”.
He points out their “untouchability” by saying you lick the pickle when drinking alcohol, the rice you eat is pounded by women of the Dalit community, so where did the untouchability go then? He accuses the Vanniyar community of practicing untouchability only in areas where Dalits ask for their rights.
It is interesting to note that the Draupathi Amman temple is the Kuladevatha of the Vanniyar community and has been exclusively worshipped by the community for generations. Why the sudden interest in praying at this temple, one wonders.
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