In February 2022, the Tamil Nadu government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court. The message was unambiguous: the state would not permit the India-based Neutrino Observatory inside the Bodi Hills of Theni district. CM MK Stalin personally wrote to Prime Minister Modi asking the Centre to drop the project entirely.

The reason given? The Western Ghats were too precious to disturb.

On 17 January 2025, a man named K. Jagabar Ali left the Kattubhava mosque in Thirumayam taluk, Pudukkottai, after Friday afternoon prayers. He was on his motorcycle, heading home. A tipper lorry rammed into him. He died on the spot.

The police filed it as an accident.

It was not an accident.

Police later confirmed it was a premeditated murder, planned and executed by individuals associated with an illegal stone quarry. The same quarry Jagabar Ali had been exposing for months. The same quarry that was operating on permits that had expired on 13 November 2023. The same quarry against which he had filed complaint after complaint with Pudukkottai district administration, provided GPS-stamped evidence, and even obtained a High Court order for investigation, to which the administration responded by asking for “more time.”

In his last media interaction on 13 January 2025 – just four days before his death, Jagabar Ali stood outside the Pudukkottai collector’s office and told reporters that authorities had been protecting the quarry operators. He said he had no choice but to organise a public protest. Four days later, a lorry killed him.

The photographs in the image below, GPS-tagged sites across Meyyapuram, Kathvapallivasal, and Thulaiyanur in Pudukkottai, are the evidence he had collected. Published in the PUCL Bulletin. Documented at personal risk. Paid for with his life.

Tamilnadu + DMK protested the India-based Neutrino Observatory, fear-mongered it would damage the Western Ghats, despite strong support from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Yet today hills across the state are being torn apart by rampant illegal quarrying.

Illegal quarrying > Science pic.twitter.com/xMephr3mZi

— Saikiran Kannan | 赛基兰坎南 (@saikirankannan) March 11, 2026

This is what the DMK government’s relationship with Tamil Nadu’s ecology actually looks like – not in rhetoric, but in practice.

What the INO Actually Was

Let us be precise about what was killed in 2022, because the activists who opposed it were never precise about what it actually was.

The India-based Neutrino Observatory was a ₹1,500 crore underground science laboratory proposed inside the Bodi West Hills in Theni district – a cavern carved inside a mountain, approximately 2 km from the nearest village, with zero surface industrial footprint. Its purpose was to study neutrinos, which are subatomic particles that pass through the entire Earth without reacting with anything. No radiation. No emissions. No chemical discharge. No surface mining. Just physicists, instruments, and darkness inside a mountain.

The project had cleared multiple environmental reviews. It had the backing of TIFR and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences. Nobel laureates Arthur McDonald and Takaaki Kajita, both winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics for neutrino research, personally appealed to Tamil Nadu to allow it. Padma awardees, national science academies, and hundreds of researchers urged CM Stalin to support it.

And then there was Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

India’s most beloved scientist-president wrote extensively in support of the INO. He gave the project team permission to use his statements publicly. He called INO a dream that would take India forward. He personally asked Tamil Nadu’s people and its government to embrace it and to “defeat the forces of ignorance” opposing it through rational thought.

The DMK said no anyway.

Vaiko, a DMK alliance partner, began a padayatra from Madurai to Cumbum against the project, flagged off by MK Stalin himself. Nobel laureates on one side. A padayatra on the other. The Tamil Nadu government chose the padayatra.

The Fear That Was Manufactured

What exactly did protesters claim the INO would do to the Western Ghats?

The arguments shifted constantly, as they always do when the goal is obstruction rather than engagement. Vibrations from controlled underground blasts would damage the ecosystem. The project was “near” a tiger corridor. The Western Ghats were too fragile for any human activity.

DMK’s own Supreme Court affidavit solemnly declared that the Bodi Hills “forms part of a significant tiger corridor” and that the Western Ghats is “a global biodiversity hotspot.”

Sacred language. Serious-sounding. Completely selective in application.

Because while Tamil Nadu was filing Supreme Court affidavits about biodiversity, the hills of Pudukkottai, the same district whose soil was “protected” from supervised energy extraction at Neduvasal, were being torn apart by illegal quarry operators. And the man who tried to stop them was run over by a lorry.

What the Quarry Mafia Did to Pudukkottai

Jagabar Ali was not a famous activist. He was a 58-year-old AIADMK functionary from Vengalur village in Thirumayam taluk – a man who ran a hollow block manufacturing unit and spent his spare time filing complaints. He had no political backing from the ruling party. He had no media handlers. He had a phone, a GPS camera, and the conviction that someone should document what was happening to his district’s hills.

What was happening was this: stone quarry operators in Thirumayam area were mining on expired licenses, extracting minerals far beyond permitted limits, causing massive revenue losses to the government. When Jagabar Ali provided evidence to the Tahsildar, officials leaked his information back to the quarry operators, who used 40 lorries overnight to dump extracted material back into the quarry to hide the evidence.

He complained to the district administration. He went to the High Court. He got an order. Nothing happened.

In his last press interaction, four days before his death, he said openly: “If we attempted to intervene, they would have nearly a hundred men with weapons, and we can’t do anything. We’re left with no choice but to meet officials, and if that doesn’t work, we have no other option but to gather people and protest.”

On 17 January 2025, the quarry mafia gave him their answer. A lorry. A roadside ditch. A staged accident scene.

Four persons were arrested, including a stone quarry owner. The CB-CID took over the case. The key conspirator, quarry owner S. Ramaiya of RR Sand Crushers, went missing. As of the last reports, he had not been found.

Jagabar Ali had exposed an ₹840 crore illegal mining scam in Pudukkottai. He was killed for it. His family lives in fear. The main accused is still missing.

This is Pudukkottai. The district the DMK protected from ONGC’s supervised engineers.

The Scale of the Statewide Destruction

Pudukkottai is not an exception. It is a window.

Across Tamil Nadu, 1,439 mineral quarries reportedly operated illegally between 2020 and November 2025 under DMK rule, according to the government’s own court admissions cited by PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss. In Tirunelveli, 53 out of 54 stone quarries inspected were found to be operating illegally. Four workers died when one of those quarries collapsed. Penalties of ₹262 crore were levied. Nobody went to jail.

On sand mining: the government permitted 7.51 lakh units. The Enforcement Directorate told the High Court that 27.70 lakh units were mined – nearly four times the sanctioned amount. Minerals are being smuggled across the border into Kerala. The Madras High Court warned of a CBI investigation into illegal mining on the slopes of the Western Ghats as recently as September 2024.

This is the Western Ghats the DMK was protecting from a neutrino observatory.

The Geometry of Selective Outrage

Hold these facts side by side:

Fact One: The INO proposed a sealed underground laboratory inside a mountain in Theni, with no surface mining, no emissions, no ecological footprint. Dr. Kalam supported it. Nobel laureates pleaded for it. The DMK killed it, citing Western Ghats ecology.

Fact Two: In Pudukkottai, the very district whose ecology was “protected” from supervised hydrocarbon extraction at Neduvasal, illegal quarries operated openly. A man who documented them was murdered. The main accused is missing. Officials who received his complaints leaked them to the operators.

Fact Three: Across Tamil Nadu, 1,439 illegal quarries functioned under DMK rule. Hills have been blasted open. Four times the permitted sand was mined. Workers have died. Activists have been killed. Nobody has gone to jail.

There is only one conclusion: the Western Ghats were never the concern. The ecology was never sacred. The tiger corridors were never the reason.

Supervised science was blocked. Unsupervised looting was permitted. And the man who tried to stop the looting was silenced with a tipper lorry.

What India Lost

The INO was India’s entry ticket into one of the most consequential fields of 21st century physics. Countries with neutrino observatories- Japan, the United States, Canada, Italy are at the cutting edge of research that feeds directly into nuclear energy science, medical technology, and national security applications. India had none of this. The INO would have been the foundation.

Dr. Kalam wrote that INO was a dream that would take India forward and asked Tamil Nadu to “defeat the forces of ignorance.”

The forces of ignorance won. And in Pudukkottai, they also killed the man who was fighting them with a camera and a complaint register.

Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post Welcome To Dravidian Model Tamil Nadu: We’ll Oppose A Neutrino Observatory But Will Allow Illegal Quarrying appeared first on The Commune.

Authorities have initiated urgent repair work after students from a government higher secondary school in Gopalapattinam, Pudukottai district, uploaded a social media video exposing the deteriorating condition of their campus.

A group of girl students, all from the minority community, posted a video on Instagram on Friday showing damaged buildings, waterlogged roads, and leaking classrooms. In the clip, the students warned that they would protest on Monday if no action was taken.

In the video, the students said, “With great mental anguish, we wish to say that the roads leading to our school are surrounded by water, the school buildings are damaged, and rainwater seeps into our classrooms. Despite repeatedly informing higher authorities, no relief has been provided so far.”

புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டம் மீமிசல் அருகே கோபாலப்பட்டினம் அரசு மேல்நிலைப் பள்ளியில் பயிலும் மாணவிகள் தங்கள் பள்ளிக்கு அடிப்படை வசதிகளை செய்து தர வலியுறுத்தி சமூக வலைதளங்களில் வெளியிட்டுள்ள வீடியோ வைரலாக பரவி வருகிறது.#Pudukkottai | #School | #Students pic.twitter.com/hhELMaw8KY

— PttvOnlinenews (@PttvNewsX) November 7, 2025

The school, constructed in 2013, accommodates 302 students from Classes 6 to 12. Locals said the building had become unsafe, toilets were unusable, and stagnant water around the premises had turned into a mosquito-breeding ground.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by அதிரை டைரி  (@adiraidiary)

“Only after the video went viral, officials took steps to clear some of the water on Saturday,” said Alaudeen J, a local resident.

Following the online outrage, Chief Educational Officer K. Shanmugam said that repairs to the bathrooms, approach roads, and other facilities would commence on Monday.
“Based on the collector’s orders, we will mobilise funds through the NSNOP scheme for immediate work and complete the rest within a month. A full renovation, estimated at ₹1 crore, will also be taken up under the scheme,” he added.

(Source: Times of India)

Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post Dravidian Model Govt Officials Rush To Fix Pudukottai Govt School After Students Video Explaining Pathetic Conditions Of Campus Goes Viral appeared first on The Commune.

An inscription has been discovered on a stone slab within the premises of the Vallathrakottai Government Student Hostel near Alangudi in Pudukkottai district.

According to officials, the slab measures about one foot in length and three-quarters of a foot in width. The inscription, written in five lines, reads: “Swasthi Sri Ippalli Vallanathan Perungovil Nagarathar Ainnutruvapperumpalli.”

The discovery is being examined by local historians and archaeologists for its cultural and historical significance.

கல்வெட்டு கண்டுபிடிப்பு!#Inscription | #Vallathirakottai | #Students | #Pudukkottaidistricthttps://t.co/y4W3uzOWeZ pic.twitter.com/AWRgSgGW91

— Dinamalar (@dinamalarweb) September 7, 2025

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post Inscription Discovered In Pudukkottai District appeared first on The Commune.

A 58-year-old assistant headmaster of a government high school in Pudukottai was arrested on Monday (17 February 2025) under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly sexually harassing multiple girl students.

The arrest followed a week-long inquiry by the district child protection officer (DCPO) after a student contacted the Childline helpline (1098) on 10 February 2025, reporting the misconduct. Based on the inquiry, the DCPO lodged a formal complaint against the accused for allegedly inappropriately touching female students on the school premises.

Following his arrest, the assistant headmaster was produced before the Pudukottai Mahila Court on Tuesday and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. The Thirumayam all-woman police station has booked him under the POCSO Act and Section 7 of the Juvenile Justice (Protection of Children) Act.

Authorities suspect that the accused may have been involved in similar misconduct for several months, though an in-depth investigation is still underway.

Commenting on the incident, K. Shanmugam, Chief Educational Officer of Pudukottai district, assured strict action against the accused.
Police and child protection authorities continue to investigate the case to determine if more students were affected.

In light of this, BJP TN Chief Annamalai took to his X handle to slam the state government for its failure to protect the school girls. He wrote, “An assistant principal of a government school in Pudukkottai district has been arrested for sexually harassing 7 female students. In every district of Tamil Nadu, female students continue to be subjected to sexual harassment. Three years have passed since the schools promised to set up advisory committees to ensure the safety of students. The fact that these committees are not functioning in any of the schools shows that schoolgirls continue to be subjected to sexual assault. Only after calling the national emergency helpline number 1098 for child protection, action has been taken. The DMK government has completely failed to protect our school going girls. Even after all these crimes, no action has been taken to ensure the safety of school students. The Minister of School Education, Mr. Anbil Mahesh, has no moral right or qualification to continue as a minister. Mr. Anbil Mahesh should resign from the post of School Education Minister immediately. I urge the Chief Minister to immediately appoint another competent and child-friendly minister to the School Education Department and ensure the safety of school children.”

புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டம் அரசுப் பள்ளியில், மாணவிகள் 7 பேருக்குப் பாலியல் தொல்லை அளித்த பள்ளி உதவித் தலைமையாசிரியர் கைது செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கிறார். தமிழகத்தின் ஒவ்வொரு மாவட்டங்களிலும், தொடர்ந்து பள்ளி மாணவிகள் பாலியல் தொல்லைக்கு உள்ளாக்கப்பட்டு வருகின்றனர்.

பள்ளிகளில் மாணவ மாணவியர்…

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) February 19, 2025

(With inputs from Times Of India)

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post Dravidian Model Of Education: Asst HM Of Govt High School In Pudukottai Arrested Under POCSO Act For Harassing Girl Students, BJP TN Chief Annamalai Slams DMK Govt appeared first on The Commune.

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has criticized the DMK government for failing to take strong action in past cases involving the murders of anti-quarry activists has led to the death of another activist in Thirumayam, Pudukottai district. He warned the DMK government that it would face serious consequences if the case is mishandled by only arresting the lorry driver and others, while allowing the true perpetrators remain unpunished.

On 19 January 2025, Annamalai via his official X account stated, “The news that Jagbar Ali, the Secretary of the District Amateur Kabaddi Association and a prominent social activist from the Thirumayam area of Pudukottai district, has been killed by mineral resource looters who ran him over with a lorry is very shocking. Jagbar Ali played a major role in the successful conduct of the Modi Kabaddi League matches in Pudukkottai district. He was active in various fields, including natural resource conservation and the prevention of mineral resource theft. Regarding the mineral theft, even after he met with the Thirumayam Taluk tahsildar and complained 15 days ago, raised the issue with the Assistant Director of the District Mineral Resources Department and the District Collector multiple times, but no action was taken. Now, he has been sacrificed. Tamil Nadu is ruled by anti-social elements and looters to the extent that those who work with the noble aim of protecting natural resources are losing their lives. If government officials and social activists who try to stop the looting of minerals are being killed, what can we say except that the DMK government has emboldened them by repeatedly stating that they can loot sand within ten minutes of coming to power? The DMK government has set a very bad precedent by not taking action against the mineral looters and betraying the person who filed the complaint by revealing his identity. We demand justice for Jagbar Ali’s death. Not only the mineral thieves, but all the officials who failed to take action on the complaints he made are responsible for his death. A proper investigation should be conducted, and action should be taken against all of them. Furthermore, I warn that the DMK government will face very serious consequences if it tries to divert the case by arresting only the lorry driver and others, leaving aside the real culprits behind this murder—the mineral looters.” 

புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டம் திருமயம் பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த, மாவட்ட அமெச்சூர் கபடி கழகச் செயலாளரும், சிறந்த சமூக ஆர்வலருமான திரு. ஜெகபர் அலி அவர்கள், கனிம வளக் கொள்ளையர்களால் லாரி ஏற்றிப் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளார் என்ற செய்தி மிகுந்த அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.

புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டத்தில், மோடி… pic.twitter.com/0vbJKZFSPz

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) January 19, 2025

Current Case Status

On 19 January 2025, the Thirumayam police arrested four individuals, including a lorry owner, in connection with the suspicious death of activist K. Jagbar Ali. The 58-year-old AIADMK member and outspoken critic of illegal mining was reportedly killed after being run over by a lorry near Thirumayam on 17 January 2025.

Jagbar Ali, a resident of Vengalur in Thirumayam taluk, was well-known for his efforts to combat illegal quarrying in the area. According to reports, on 17 January afternoon, Ali was returning home on his two-wheeler after attending prayers at a mosque when a lorry struck him, resulting in his immediate death.

Ali’s wife, Maryam, filed a complaint at the Thirumayam police station the next day, alleging foul play. She explained that her husband had frequently raised concerns about local stone quarry irregularities and even took legal action in the Madurai High Court against illegal mining operators. Maryam further stated that Ali had previously reported receiving death threats from those involved in the illegal activities. She believes the lorry deliberately ran him over.

Ali’s brothers, who reportedly witnessed the incident, also suggested that the way the lorry struck Ali raised suspicions of premeditation. In her complaint, Maryam pointed out that individuals associated with a quarrying company in Thulaiyanur might be connected to the incident and called for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth.

Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post BJP TN Chief Annamalai Slams DMK Govt Over Activist Jagbar Ali’s Murder, Demands Justice Amid Allegations Of Inaction On Illegal Mining appeared first on The Commune.

For all the tall claims of the Dravidian Model being based on the premised of social justice, casteism remains deeply entrenched in the political landscape of Tamil Nadu.

Gauri Maharajan, originally from Muthuvanthidal  near Thirupuvanam in Sivagangai District, hails from the Scheduled Caste community, serves as the head of the Panchayat Council. Meanwhile, Rajkumar, a member of the backward class within the same panchayat, holds the position of secretary. Allegations have surfaced suggesting discriminatory treatment towards Gauri Maharajan due to her caste background, purportedly manifested by Rajkumar’s actions. Specifically, it’s claimed that during a general meeting of the Panchayat Council, Rajkumar prevented Gauri Maharajan from occupying the chair designated for the council chairman.

Deeply perturbed by this incident, Gauri Maharajan has lodged a formal complaint with the District Collector, urging swift action against Rajkumar, the Panchayat Council Secretary. Furthermore, Gauri Maharajan has expressed her intent to step down from her position if no action be taken against Rajkumar. This incident has stirred significant unrest within the local community.

When questioned about these allegations, Rajkumar denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the accusations were baseless. Interestingly, amidst various accusations, Rajkumar was transferred, eventually leading to the appointment of Maharajan as the new Panchayat Secretary of Muthuvanthidal . Subsequently, Gauri Maharajan, accompanied by 50 villagers, visited the district collector’s office to lodge a formal complaint, urging appropriate action against Rajkumar.

பட்டியலின ஊராட்சித் தலைவரை இருக்கையில் அமரவிடாமல் மிரட்டல் விடுத்ததாக புகார்! pic.twitter.com/lqDEXMhBbU

— @JuniorVikatan (@JuniorVikatan) May 14, 2024

Another occurrence in Pudukottai on 14 May 2024 involves Manimuthu, who serves as the president of the Thirunalur Panchayat Council affiliated with DMK. After the panchayat building, which he had overseen for half a century, suffered damage, a contract was arranged for the construction of a new structure following the District Collector’s directive. However, during the construction process, it was reported that a group of individuals, including Thennalur Palaniappan, the Deputy Secretary of the DMK Literary wing in Pudukkottai District, obstructed the work.

When questioned about the obstruction, Palaniappan allegedly responded with derogatory remarks, insinuating that Manimuthu, despite being elected, lacked legitimacy to lead in their vicinity. Upon learning of this, residents of Thirunalur united to petition for the reconstruction of the building at its original location. Subsequently, tensions escalated on the 5th of the month, with Manimuthu, Palaniappan, and their supporters engaging in verbal altercations laced with caste-based insults. Despite filing a complaint immediately at the Iluppur Police Station, no action was taken, prompting Manimuthu to approach the District Collector and District Superintendent of Police for redress. However, the District Collector allegedly refused to receive their petition. Manimuthu, along with other community leaders, demanded swift government intervention and condemned the violence, stressing the urgent need for justice and accountability.

Just a week ago, on May 9th, another female head of a local governing body filed a complaint at the Swamimalai police station. She demanded action against those responsible for defacing the name banner on the Kadichambadi Panchayat office in the Kumbakonam circle.

Malarkodi Srinivasan, aged 49, affiliated with the AIADMK, serves as the Chairman of the Kadichambadi Panchayat Council. The inauguration of the newly constructed Panchayat Council office opened on 10 August 2023, Subsequently, Malarkodi’s name was prominently displayed on the office facade. However, due to restrictions during the Lok Sabha elections, her name was temporarily obscured. Following the conclusion of electoral proceedings, when Malarkodi unveiled her name, it was discovered that it had been tampered with. As a result, Malarkodi, the Panchayat Council President, lodged a complaint at the Swamimalai police station. She expressed frustration, stating, “After five decades in Kadichabadi, I hold the position of a marginalized woman leading the Panchayat. However, I face social barriers hindering my authority.”

Srinivasan alleged that her name was deliberately erased by N. Sivabalan, the Vice President of the Panchayat affiliated with the PMK, and M. Selvakumar, a former Panchayat Council President affiliated with the DMK. Additionally, she claimed that they circulated derogatory messages about her on WhatsApp, tarnishing her reputation. Consequently, she urged authorities to take appropriate action against the perpetrators.

The situation underscores broader issues of social injustice in Tamil Nadu, with incidents like the contamination of drinking water tanks and continued violence against marginalized communities further exacerbating tensions. The lack of response from authorities, including the failure to register FIRs, has drawn strong criticism from advocacy groups like the Ambedkar People’s Movement, who insist on immediate action to ensure the safety and well-being of all citizens.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram and WhatsApp and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post Dravidian Model: Scheduled Caste Panchayat Council Members Face Continuous Discrimination In Tamil Nadu appeared first on The Commune.

In a tragic incident, a 16-year-old boy hailing from the Dalit community took his own life in Koppampatti village, Pudukottai district. The reason behind this was the alleged assault and harassment he endured from students belonging to a dominant caste. This torment was apparently due to his interaction with a girl from their community.

The young victim, V. Vishnukumar, was a student in Class XI at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Keeranur. His involvement with a girl from the OBC community had drawn the ire of several dominant caste students, some of whom were his classmates. The Hindu reported that Vishnukumar had been physically attacked, ridiculed, and continually victimised by his peers because of his association with the girl.

A few weeks ago, as reported by News9Live, he was once again subjected to physical violence and subjected to derogatory comments based on his caste. This relentless persecution took a heavy toll on him, leading to his tragic decision to end his own life. His grieving mother, Uma, lodged a police complaint, pointing to caste-based discrimination as a significant factor in her son’s suicide.

Initially, the local police registered a case under section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which was later modified to include provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) and IPC Section 306, relating to abetment of suicide. An autopsy was conducted, and Vishnukumar’s remains were handed over to his family for the final rites.

A 16 year old #Dalit student was seen talking to his classmate who was from the dominant caste near Pudukkottai #Tamilnadu. He was attacked in public by more than ten dominant caste villagers for talking to her .They also humiliated him with caste slurs . At night he committed… https://t.co/nKhvihJHQb

— Shalin Maria Lawrence (@TheBluePen25) November 5, 2023

In the wake of this devastating incident, Vishnukumar’s parents are demanding justice for their son’s untimely death. The case is currently under investigation by the Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Keeranur sub-division. 

One of his relative can be heard lamenting “They hit him in the bus, bus stand. They committed caste atrocity. They beat my Krishnakumar. A boy who went to school, they hit him in a government school. They hit him in the school, in the bus stand. Because of caste atrocity, he hanged himself.”

The Pudukottai district unit of the CPI(M) expressed deep distress and dismay regarding the situation. They stated that the young boy fell victim to “caste-based animosity” instigated by his fellow students. They called for a thorough investigation into the matter and the apprehension of the individuals responsible. The CPI(M) urged the state government to provide appropriate compensation to the victim’s family and offer a government job to one of the family members.

This tragic event has elicited widespread outrage, with many seeing it as a product of deeply ingrained caste-based discrimination and animosity. The irony lies in the fact that despite the claims of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government about establishing “social justice” through the Dravidian ideology, caste-based atrocities persist, revealing a failure in achieving the intended social justice goals.

Just a few days ago, a gang of six physically assaulted, stripped, and subjected two Dalit youths to public humiliation as they were returning home after a bath in the Thamirabarani River. 

In October 2023, a family belonging to the Scheduled Caste residing in the Vidathilampatti hills within the Manapparai municipality was reported to have been facing threats from a dominant Urali Gounder family. They were subjected to verbal abuse (casteist slurs), urine poured on the son, the house was stoned, assaulted, etc.

How can one forget the Vengaivayal incident, where human waste was discovered dumped in a water tank used by the Dalits in Vengaivayal village of Pudukottai district, or the Nanguneri incident in August 2023 when a Class 12 Scheduled Caste student and his younger sister were brutally assaulted with sickles in their own home. 

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram and WhatsApp and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post SC Boy Takes His Own Life After Alleged Harassment By OBC Youths In Pudukottai Govt School appeared first on The Commune.

Recently in the so-called land of ‘Periyar’ where Dravidian Model of governance is in effect under the rule of MK Stalin, a horrific incident was reported where human excreta was found dumped in water tank used by Dalits of the Vengaivayal village in Pudukottai district.

The incident came to light after many families fell sick. Residents had complained of yellow-coloured water and foul smell coming in their household pipes. A probe into the incident revealed that the contamination was from a single source – the water tank where human faeces were found floating.

Residents of the village complained to the police but the culprits behind the horrific crime are yet to be brought to justice.

What is most disturbing about the horrific incident is how the self-proclaimed champions of social justice, DMK’s allies, and the Dravidian Stockist media have been underplaying the incident in order to save the face of Stalin government.

How The Dravidian Stockist Media Is Trying To Buttress The Ruling DMK

In the beginning, the incident was widely reported by many media outlets triggering massive public outrage. However, the issue hardly featured as prime-time debates. Instead the mainstream news channels latched onto the DMK versus Governor controversy where Governor RN Ravi skipped portions of the speech prepared by the DMK government as it had factual errors and high on superlative adjectives extolling the government. The DMK MLAs creating a ruckus in the Assembly and Stalin moving a resolution against the Governor can itself be seen as an attempt to shift the focus away from real issues like the Vengaivayal incident.

Just a few days later, the Tamil mainstream media projected that the people of Vengaivayal have been celebrating ‘Samathuva Pongal,’ and are happy and moved on from the incident.

But even the ‘Samathuva Pongal’ was no happy affair. The Pongal cooked by Dalits were not eaten by members of the dominant Agamudayar and Muthuraiyar communities.

The truth is that the people of Vengaivayal village had besieged DMK ministers Raghupathi, Meyyanatha, and Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, who had gone there after nearly 20 days of that incident, and demanded that the DMK apprehend the criminals before celebrating ‘Samathuva Pongal’. DMK Minister Meyyanathan did not even visit the Dalit colony in Vengavayal and instead stayed in the Elementary school in the village, allege residents. But this was hardly discussed or debated by the Dravidian Stockist media.

Why Is DMK Underplaying?

Pudukottai district is dominated by three major communities. They are Mutharaiyar, Paraiyar (SC), and Thevar. Activist Airport Moorthy has alleged that the human excreta was mixed in the drinking water of the Paraiyar community by the Valayar, a sub-sect of the Mutharaiyar community.

There are six assembly constituencies in the Pudukottai district, namely, Gandharvakottai (SC), Viralimalai, Pudukottai, Thirumayam, Alangudi, and Aranthangi. Except for Viralimalai, where ADMK Vijayabhaskar won with Thevar votes, the DMK and its allies won all five constituencies. Thevar, Muthairaiyar, and Paraiyars are the main vote bank of ADMK, DMK, and VCK (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi) respectively. Since 2019, VCK, a Paraiyar party, has been in an alliance with the DMK, and as a result, the DMK has won the majority of constituencies in the Pudukkottai district, where the incident occurred, using Mutharaiyar and Paraiyar votes.

Parliament constituencies which include the parts of Pudukottai districts include Karur, Trichy, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram. All four parliamentary constituencies are won by DMK and its allies using Mutharaiyar and Paraiyar votes. However, none of the MPs, particularly the publicity-hungry Jothimani, have visited the site.

It is for this reason, the DMK is afraid to speak out on the issue because it involves the two communities that voted it into power in the Pudukottai district. It is because of this reason that Chief Minister MK Stalin or his Minister-son Udhayanidhi Stalin are yet to visit the village and express solidarity with the affected families. In order to not antagonize the the votebank of Valayars and Muthuraiyars, the DMK has been underplaying and have refused to vocally call out the horrific crime.

VCK Head Thirumavalavan’s Silence

DMK won Paraiyar votes by having Thirumavalavan, a Paraiyar leader, as a catalyst in its alliance. The Paraiyar caste has been betrayed not only by the DMK, the party for which they voted but also by their leader Thirumavalavan, who has refused to even engage in ‘Thozamai Suttuthal’ (soft criticism) this time.

VCK Thirumavalavan had previously announced a protest in Pudukottai in response to the incident, but he later canceled it in order to organize a protest against Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi using Tamizhagam instead of Tamil Nadu. This begs the logical question: Is Governor RN Ravi’s ‘Tamizhagam’ issue more important than the Vengaivayal incident, or is it a diversionary tactic by Thirumavalavan to save the DMK?

After much outrage and people calling him out, only on 19 January 2023, Thirumavalavan organized a protest in Pudukottai to condemn the incident.

#வேங்கைவயல் பேரிழிவைக் கண்டித்து தமிழ்நாடெங்கும் #விசிக சார்பில் ஆர்ப்பாட்டங்கள் நடைபெற்றன. சென்னையில் வள்ளுவர் கோட்டம் அருகே நடந்த ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்தில் உரையாற்றினேன். குற்றவாளிகளைக் கைது செய்யவேண்டும். பொதுவான தொட்டியிலிருந்தே ஆதிதிராவிடர்களுக்கும் குடிநீர் வழங்க வேண்டும்.. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/SOsJNngmNK

— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) January 19, 2023

But before that he was busy promoting voting for VCK cadre Vikraman in BiggBoss Tamil, which is hosted by Tamil small screen anchor Kamal Haasan.

தம்பி விக்ரமன் அவர்களை வெற்றிபெறச் செய்வோம். #பிக்பாஸ் தேர்வுக்கான போட்டியில் @DisneyPlusID app மூலம் விக்ரமனுக்கு வாக்களிப்போம்.#அறம்வெல்லும்.@RVikraman #BiggBoss16 pic.twitter.com/aRgLaChoJ6

— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) January 18, 2023

Where Are The Virtue-Signallers Now?

There is an actor called Suriya Sivakumar. He had recently produced and acted in the controversial film ‘Jai Bhim’ which sought to shed light on the plight of Dalits facing police torture.

When the AIADMK was in power, this actor and his brother Karthi who is also an actor, often grabbed limelight by condemning and issuing statements over every other matter unrelated to the domain of cinema. Surya and his brother Karthi, who have spoken out against issues such as the New Education Policy, NEET, the death of IT girl Subhashree due to the AIADMK’s banner falling, farmers’ protests, Vedanta’s Sterlite plant, Sathankulam incident where two men were beaten to death in police custody, have remained tight-lipped about the Vengaivayal incident.

Full-time actor and part-time politician Kamal Haasan who demanded action against the police, judiciary, doctors involved in the Sathankulam incident is today missing in action.

‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth, who relased a picture of his ‘angry face’ expressing shock over the incident and calling for all the officials to be severely punished, has gone on mute to shoot for his next film with Sun Pictures.

Another such alleged actor is Siddharth, who has remained silent about the Vengaivayal incident.

When the AIADMK was in power, these virtue-signaller who were very active have gone into hibernation now.

These social activists cum ‘Poralis’ who spoke out against the police murder of Jeyaraj and Bennix, have remained silent on numerous lock-up deaths during the DMK regime, including Vignesh’s death, in which CM Stalin was caught lying in the State Assembly.

Periyarists, who see themselves as the saviors of social justice in Tamil Nadu, has gone into hiding and have yet to comment on the incident. Subha Veerapandian, a Periyarist who serves on the Tamil Nadu government’s social justice committee, has not even tweeted his condemnation of the Vengaivayal incident.

Dalit film-maker Pa. Ranjith who never left an opportunity to take positions during the AIADMK regime has now gone soft with a name-sake condemnation. Without naming the concerned Minister and region’s MLAs, Pa. Ranjith condemned them for not visiting the village to address the issue. He stated that the police are attempting to pin the blame on the victims in the Vengaivayal incident, without naming the DMK government under which the police department functions.

The Dravidian Model Of Social Justice

The Vengaivayal incident once again busts the myth of the “Dravidian Model” of social justice. According to a 2019 RTI data, the number of villages practising ostracism remains the highest in Tamil Nadu.

646 villages in 20 districts of the state still ostracise people based on caste. Ironically the largest number of villages that practice untouchability is in Thiruvarur district, the home district of late DMK patriarch Karunanidhi.

The incident also shows the duplicity of the actors, activists, media and other self-proclaimed champions of social justice who now stand exposed that they have an agenda and it is to act as mouthpiece for the DMK.

No matter how much these people try to cover up, the Vengaivayal incident will remain infamous for not just DMK’s apathy but also a testimony to the fallacy of Dravidian Model.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally

The post Vengaivayal: The Stench Emanating From Dravidian Model Of Social Justice appeared first on The Commune.

Tamil film director Pa. Ranjith called out the MK Stalin-led DMK government’s inaction and apathy in arresting the culprits behind the incident where human excreta was found dumped in water tank used by Dalits of the Vengaivayal village in Pudukottai district.

He also alleged that the Tamil Nadu police is threatening the victims (Dalits who had to consume the excreta-mixed water) to confess to the crime under the garb of investigation.

“Social injustice continues (angry imoji)!Stern reprimands to the Tamil Nadu police department for threatening the victims to confess the crime in the name of investigation without trying to identify the culprits in the case of contamination of water tank of Venkaival in Pudukottai district.”, Pa. Ranjith said in a tweet.

Pa. Ranjith, without naming the concerned Minister and region’s MLAs, condemned them for not visiting the village to address the issue.

N. Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, the Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare, Hill Tribes and Bonded Labour Welfare is the concnerned minister and M. Chinnadurai, is the elected CPI-M MLA elected on the DMK symbol from Gandarvakottai reserved constituency.

Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami too had condemned the DMK government over its inaction. The Tamil Nadu BJP and other social and political activists too have called out the MK Stalin government in the handling of the issue.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin while speaking about the issue in the Assembly said that the incident was “condemnable” and “regrettable”. He added that the special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the government has so far question 70 people and promised “strict action” against the culprits.

However, many have questioned on why Stalin and his Minister and MLAs have not visited the village so far.

Airport Moorthy while speaking at a roadside meeting lambasted the DMK and the Pudukottai Collector alleging that the issue was handled in a shoddy manner. When Moorthy along with a few villagers had requested for the water pipe to be replaced with new ones, Pudukottai Collector allegedly told him that the pipe has been cleaned with chemical and there was no need for replacing the pipe networks.

He also alleged that the DMK government has been hesitant in bringing the culprits to books in order to not antagonize the votebank of Valayars who are the dominant community in the village.

Moorthy and a few others from the villaege later put their own money and got the old pipes replaced.

நேர்ல போய் என்ன புடிங்கினீங்கன்னு கேட்டீங்களே…விசிக வே. வேங்கைவயல் பீ கலந்த தண்ணீர் பைப் பை புடுங்கவச்சோம்! pic.twitter.com/HfABhOAcY4

— Airport D.Moorthy (@airportmoorthy) January 5, 2023

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personall

The post Human Faeces In Dalit Water Tank Issue: Pa. Ranjith Condemns DMK Govt Alleging Apathy appeared first on The Commune.

Tamil Nadu police on the wee hours of Saturday (January 29) arrested a man identified as Ganesh Babu from Pudukottai district who had given a complaint about religious conversion happening in his area.

Ganesh Babu hails from Thimmiyampatti near Iluppur in Pudukottai district. On 21 January 2022 at around 6 30 PM, two unidentified women had come to his home saying that they were from the church and had come to spread the ‘gospel of Jesus’, he had stated in his letter to the Pudukottai Superintendent of Police which has been accessed by The Commune.

The two missionary ladies had allegedly told him that his family would be ‘taken care by Jesus’ if they convert to Christianity and had given them some Christian books. This was resisted by Ganesh Babu and his family. He told the ladies that they are Hindus and that their clan deity (kuladeivam) was the Malayadikaruppar asking the ladies to vacate his house immediately. A heated brawl ensued when the two missionary ladies had derogated Hindu gods as ‘stones’, ‘satans’, and ‘ghosts’, his letter to the SP read.

When Ganesh Babu had told them that he would inform the police, the missionary ladies had allegedly told him that ‘he cannot even pluck a hair’ as they have been doing this for a long time particularly in the nearby villages of Irundhirapatti, Mettupatti, Kattakutti, Irappoosal, Iluppur, Melappatti, Navampatti, etc. and none belonging to those villages could do anything to them.They had also allegedly threatened to kill him.

After they left his house, there was a commotion inside the village when he found that the missionary ladies had beeng going door-to-door and indulging in conversion activities. The two ladies were held by a few people belonging to the village as they had reportedly given chocolotes and toys to kids in the neighbourhood and spoke ill about Hinduism, the complaint letter by Ganesh Babu to the SP mentioned.

Ganesh Babu along with a few others from his village informed the Iluppur police and the two missionary ladies were handed over to Inspector Ushanandhini and Sub-Inspector Rex Stalin.

On January 27, when Ganesh Babu and members from the village had gone to ask the status of the complaint, the police had told them that they’ve received a complaint against them as well and asked them to give a written complaint from their side which they did on January 28. When Ganesh and his relative Kumar had gone to get the CSR copy, they were told to collect it next day morning.

At around 1 AM on January 28, the Deputy Superintendent, Sub-Inspector and Inspector along with 4 constables had come and took Ganesh Babu in a jeep.

The police officials allegedly asked him to withdraw the complaint filed and even threatened to slap false cases under various acts including the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/ST Act.

Ganesh Babu had told that he would not withdraw the complaint and was ready to proceed legally for the complaints given against him. He was let go off but was asked to come the next day at 11 AM to withdraw the complaint. Ganesh Babu was later arrested on the wee hours of January 29.

Ganesh Babu has written a complaint to the Pudukottai District Superintendent of Police pleading for action against the two missionary ladies and the Deputy Superintendent Arulmozhi Arasu and Inspector Ushanandhini for abuse of power.

In light of this, the people of the village along with Hindu organizations are protesting against the arrest of Ganesh Babu.

புதுக்கோட்டை – மதமாற்றத்திற்கு எதிராக புகார் அளித்த கணேஷ் பாபுவின் கைதை கண்டிப்பும், அவரை உடனடியாக விடுதலை செய்ய வேண்டும் எனக் கோரியும் அப்பகுதி கிராம மக்கள் மற்றும் ஹிந்து அமைப்பினர் பல்வேறுவிதமான போராட்டங்களை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர். pic.twitter.com/ccVOxQ2FmC

— A T P (@itisatp) January 30, 2022

புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டத்தில் தான் வசித்து வரும் பகுதிகளைச் சுற்றி நடக்கும் கட்டாய மதமாற்றத்திற்கு எதிராக காவல் நிலையத்தில் புகார் அளித்த கணேஷ் பாபு என்பவரை காரணமின்றி நள்ளிரவு அவர் வீட்டில் இருந்து கைது செய்த காவல் துறையினரை கண்டித்து அப்பகுதி மக்கள் போராட்டம்!. pic.twitter.com/kZJU7TNGoj

— A T P (@itisatp) January 30, 2022

This article is based on the complainant’s letter to the SP which has been accessed by The Commune.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

The post TN police arrest man who complained about religious conversion happening in his area appeared first on The Commune.