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“I Don’t Know Who He Is”, DMK Minister Sekar Babu When Reporters Asked Him About Director Pa. Ranjith’s Criticism Over DMK On Armstrong’s Murder

The Commune
Pa Ranjith, Armstrong, Sekar Babu

Minister P.K. Sekar Babu said he didn't know who Ranjith is.

The verbal exchanges between the members of the DMK and Kollywood director Pa. Ranjith, known for his advocacy of Dravidian ideology, have intensified amid growing tensions, especially in light of the recent murder of Bahujan Samaj Party leader K Armstrong. Pa. Ranjith has sharply criticized the DMK for failing to protect marginalized communities, particularly Scheduled Castes, and has called for a CBI investigation due to perceived delays in the state government’s efforts to apprehend the main perpetrators. Minister P.K. Sekar Babu, responding to Ranjith’s criticism, dismissed it by stating he doesn’t know who Ranjith is, brushing aside the filmmaker’s concerns.

The murder of Armstrong, the BSP state president, has sparked significant political unrest in Tamil Nadu, where there have been several recent political killings. Against this backdrop, on 20 July 2024, the Neelam Cultural Centre orchestrated the #MarchforJustice Rally, commencing from the Ramada Hotel to Rajarathinam Stadium and concluding at the Neelam Cultural Centre. The rally aimed to draw attention to the murder of BSP State President Armstrong and put forth the following decisive demands:

  1. Conduct a fair investigation into the murder of BSP State President Armstrong and punish the real culprits. If the investigation is not proceeding correctly, establish a special commission chaired by a sitting High Court judge.
  2. Investigate the background of the Arudra company fraud to expose the involvement of various members in the murder and uncover the truth, as recent investigations indicate significant financial transactions.
  3. Provide adequate protection to Dalit leaders and activists in Tamil Nadu, given the dire need highlighted by the attack on a political figure of great stature, the state president of a national party, and a leader admired by the masses.
  4. Prevent the police from conducting extrajudicial encounters with accused individuals who have been arrested or have surrendered, as seen in the case of Thiruvengadam. Trace the chain of command involved in the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party State President Armstrong and ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice without prejudice.
  5. Take appropriate legal action against individuals and groups producing defamatory content against Armstrong on social media and media platforms following his successful defamation case before his death.
  6. Establish a committee of Dalit representatives and intellectuals to investigate the recent violence against Dalits in Tamil Nadu and take appropriate action based on the committee’s report.
  7. The Union Government should immediately set up a parliamentary committee to investigate the ongoing violence against Dalits in Tamil Nadu.
  8. Address the lack of notable progress in trials of caste atrocity cases despite the creation of the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidian and Tribal Commission by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government. Ensure the commission’s activities are conducted firmly and promptly.

These demands largely critique the perceived inefficiencies of the DMK government and underscore concerns over the propagation of Dravidianist ideologies against Armstrong.

Also, Pa. Ranjith, speaking at the March for Justice Rally, openly derided DMK ministers as subservient and questioned scheduled caste representatives for their absence at the funeral of another marginalized leader. He challenged whether their reluctance stemmed from fear of losing their positions, emphasizing that the scheduled caste population in Chennai constitutes 40%, asserting their pivotal role in determining electoral outcomes.

Pa. Ranjith said, “You can scare us all you want. We are not slaves who joined the party as cadres and won MLA. There are women here, ‘You’re not Mayor because you are in DMK. You’ve been made Mayor because there is a word called Reservation. Kayalvizhi Selvaraj should understand why she was appointed Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare because of reservation. The reservation that was bought by Ambedkar you’ve all earned it, How many MPs, MLAs are there, can you not visit Armstrong’s funeral, what are you afraid of? Can’t you all get together? When will you get rid of this fear? Is your party controlling you? If you don’t speak or fight for the Dalits, then why should you stand in reservation and win.”

 Previously, Kollywood director Pa. Ranjith criticized the DMK through his official X account, stating, “We buried the body of brother Mr Armstrong, the state president of Bahujan Samaj Party, who was the victim of a cowardly and brutal murder, without any fuss or tension nor causing any law and order problem. In this life after him, we will carry out the politics of Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar with more determination, even in his brother’s absence. That will be our debt of gratitude to our brother, Mr. Armstrong. Jai Bhim!”“Here are a few questions regarding this for the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and those who are spreading hatred on social media:

  1. The murder took place very close to Sembiyam Police Station in Chennai. With this, we can understand the fear of the killers about the law and order in Tamil Nadu. So, what action plan will you create to restore law and order and prevent such an incident from happening again?
  2. The police department has announced that they have done this to avenge the murder of Arcot Suresh based on the confessions given by the assailants who confessed to the murder and surrendered. The police are only interested in closing the case based on what the surrenderers say. Who planned this? Who directed them? Has the police department concluded that there is no other background for this? What is the police’s position regarding Arudra being behind this? Why are you so indifferent by allowing to surf so many news stories that you don’t know what’s true and what’s false? Why does the media refuse to question this?
  3. When will the government address the recent threat to Dalit people and Dalit leaders? How will their safety be ensured? If this government has created an environment where it is effortless to kill the great leader who was the bulwark of the Dalit people in the capital, it is scary to think of other rural towns in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government should let us know its plans to eliminate this tension and threat.
  4. It seems that it was deliberately prevented from burying our brother’s body in Perambur. At the end of the almost two-day drama, we were unwillingly forced to bury him in Pottur, a suburban village outside Chennai. Even though the DMK government has the power, it has resorted to the court and said that this area is not included in the law and order system. Still, this government is doing a massive act of deceit by not allowing him to bury his body in Perampur, where he lived. Undoubtedly, the question of whether this government cares about Dalit people and Dalit leaders will arise.
  5. The most important reason for the DMK government to come to power was the votes of the substantial Dalit population, which is history.  Aren’t you aware that Dalits are the biggest supporters of your regime? Or are you knowingly indifferent? I cast my vote to put you in power. It is with that in mind that I pose these questions. Is social justice just for votes?
  6. The social justice guards and some media were creating an alternative story on the websites, not knowing how to deal with the law and order problem that arose due to our brother’s murder, writing judgments on the person that ‘He is a rowdy’, ‘how can killing a rowdy be seen as a law and order problem’, a doer of extortion’, ‘involved in many criminal cases’. What or Who is behind speaking such conjectures before the horror of the murder subsides?
  7. Dominant class! You call rowdyism when we rise for the sake of our self-respect. You can satisfy yourself by creating such stories against the one who gave away lakhs of books to all comers, who himself would bring liberation to human society, and who promoted Buddhism in the Babasaheb way. However, as each of us knows, words cannot describe the upsurge we have received from those who rise against oppression like Brother Armstrong.

In conclusion, I have been fascinated by the love of my brother since my childhood. After I came to the screen, he was always concerned about my growth and safety, keeping me in the safety loop. He devoted himself uncompromisingly to the political path of Babasaheb Ambedkar. I consider losing my brother as the most significant setback in my life. His words and thoughts will guide me (us) to fix this. Jay bhim!”

Following this, Minister Sekar Babu addressed the press after conducting a field survey near the Stanley Hospital flyover, where he was questioned about comments made by Director Pa. Ranjith regarding support for the DMK. When reporters asked about Ranjith’s remarks, Mayor Priya intervened to clarify the question. In response, Sekar Babu stated that he did not recognize the name “Ranjith” as a director and suggested that he might know him if he were a politician. Minister Sekar Babu said, “I don’t know who he is. I may know him if he were a politician.” This remark has sparked criticism on social media platforms.

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