Samatha :
Sunderpandyan:
“The Chennai Ambedkar Law College incident seem to have deep political and caste roots and is revealing many neglected aspects of education system. The exhibited desire of students to experiment valor and take pride at it needs to be addressed as part of the college curriculum. I think students need to be exposed to “Problem Resolution” techniques.”

Sunderapandyan is absolutely right. “Problem resolution” techniques would help. Actually, college staff needs to be trained first. Principal seems to be very inept. It almost feels as if the principal was not interested in student’s welfare. It is possible that the ongoing examinations might have distracted the staff. But the action of police is inexcusable. When u see the CNN-IBN Footage, u really feel outraged. What kind of police force is this ? Even a common citizen would try to intervene, if possible. With all the police training, arms, equipments, trained force and enough prior information, chennai police had a great opportunity to show how to handle caste violence.

At the same time, I feel attempt at peace committee would have failed if it didn’t understand the main issues. This bunch of uppercaste students meant to instigate caste feelings when they pasted pamphlets without ambedkar’s name on it. (I don’t understand why many of the newspapers refer to ambedkar’s name indirectly as “national leader”. It seems like the media is having the same mentality as these uppercaste students. They are uncomfortable to even mention the great constitutional architect. They are ignorant of history. At the time of independence, british expected india to go to dogs. India was torn by hindu-muslim communal violence, partition, violent hindu right, disturbing communist left, poverty, lack of education, unwilling princely states, a nation divided by different languages, caste,religion and culture. There were too many factors against india. A modern, egalitarian constitution designed by ambedkar’s team has managed to keep all these factions in control (if not happy) over the last half of the century. India has become a force to reckon with at global level. We have to acknowledge this great son of india more willingly. It shouldn’t be just the dalits and the minorities who should be grateful to ambedkar. Even the majority have to thank him for keeping the country together with his vision. ) Enough of digressing. Main point I was raising was that ambedkar’s name should have been included later in the in-campus pamphlets to avoid disrespect. This was a simple thing to do. It would have taken an hour or so. This was not handled properly even after the police intervention. (Good job by chennai police). This lack of action by college authorities to resolve the issue definitely emboldened these uppercaste seniors to take the next step of blocking the dalit juniors from entering the college to take the exam. Here again, college authorities and security could have taken steps to enable the dalit students to take the exams. It seems like that didn’t happen. (Few seniors did take some of the juniors secretly to the exams). This collusion between the college authorities and the uppercaste students must have definitely frustrated the dalit students. Their retaliatory action shows lack of guidance and immaturity. At least the principal could have shown some grace at this point by admitting the mistakes and planning action against the bunch of hatred-filled uppercaste students for instigating and intimidating the juniors. Instead, principal is putting ALL the blame on “dalit hostel students”. It seems like the principal is blinded by caste hatred even at this juncture after so much damage to young students. This, coming from a senior staff of a LAW college, who are expected to train the future guardians of the society, points at a serious deficiency in our system in sensitising the teaching faculty and the police force to simmering caste feelings and the noble intentions of our legal system to manage them.

Related videos on You Tube:

Ambedkar law college guys beaten to DEATH! Part-1

Ambedkar law college guys beaten to DEATH! Part-2

Ambedkar law college – Chennai – fight – Helpless

Ambedkar law college – Fight between law students

CNN IBN’s report on police inaction:

Chennai cops fail to stop student’s clash

Recommended analysis:

Silence may be costly, hence this post

The Facts behind the Incidents of violence at Chennai Dr. Ambedkar Law College

Chennai Clashes between students and police: fact finding report 2

To learn a little bit about history of clashes between thevars and dalits in southern tamilnadu, read this article on Dalit-Thevar-Ramnad-riots .

If any of you (including
organizations) wish to come forward to help the victimised dalit students (some of them deserve the legal punishments for causing such brutal violence. Being law students, they should know better. However, there are many innocents among them who are wrongly implicated. As the analysis and the rest of the articles indicate, dalit students have been at the receiving end [of violence by thevar students ] for a long time . College authorities have long turned deaf and have not taken any steps to increase security on the campus. News videos don’t show the thevar students blocking dalit students from taking exams or injuring some of the dalit students critically. Many of the students who were involved in the clash seem to have acted in self-defence and self-preservation. Hence these helpless students need legal aid to ensure that they get a fair trial and their side of the story is not ignored by the courts. ), you may contact Mr.Anand Teltumbde at +91-9820216146.

         Photo of Bharathi Kannan (one of the thevar students who planned this violence) brandishing knife in ALC Campus  !!!

          Why the police have not taken any action against this budding rowdy ?    [He was actually arrested for possessing 3 swords, but later released without charges. His father was a panchayat president and mother is also
part of the panchayat. His family is known for its political connections. This influence and the perceived victimhood has
turned the actual goonda into a more powerful person !!!!]         

Source: express buzz

Caste clash rocks Law College

A student of Dr Ambedkar Law College being attacked by his collegemates during a group clash in Chennai on Wedesday.

CHENNAI: Three students were seriously injured in a violent caste clash that broke out between two groups of students at Ambedkar Law College on Wednesday.

The students waged a pitched battle, even as a posse of policemen waited outside the gates and news photographers clicked pictures.

Knives, iron rods, wooden logs and tubelights were freely used by the clashing students. The police remained silent spectators, waiting for a call from the college principal for help.

Tension has been running high inside the campus since October 30. According to police sources, a few Dalit students objected to the institution being referred to as just ‘government law college’ without the pre-fix ‘Dr Ambedkar’ in posters put up inside the campus by students from a caste Hindu community.

It degenerated into an ugly skirmish and police advised the principal to look into the matter and set up a peace committee. The efforts of the college authorities and the police to bring unity among the students were in vain.

Since it was the first year Dalit students who confronted seniors on the poster issue, the latter allegedly vowed not to allow them to sit for the examination.

On Wednesday, trouble started when the caste Hindu students tried to prevent freshers of the Dalit community from appearing for the semester examination.

As a group waited with lethal weapons inside the college to attack the junior students, a few seniors escorted them inside the examination hall. Suddenly, the armed group attacked the Dalit students. Chitirai Selvan (21), a fourth year student, sustained serious injuries in the ear and back of the head and was admitted at Stanley hospital.

A group of Dalit students retaliated.

In the attack, Arumugham (20), a third year student, was injured and brought in a semi-conscious state to Government General Hospital. Ayyadurai (20), a second year student, sustained injuries to his right hand, forehead and leg. A third year student, Bharathi Kannan, was injured in both hands, forehead and thigh.

Finally, the principal called the police, who rushed in and chased the students away.

The police filed a complaint with the police naming Gubendran, Ravindran, Chithiraiselvan, Manimaran, Vetrikondan, Prem Kumar and Ravi Verman. Three of them were taken into custody by the police.

Source: Indian express

Source: Chowk

Lawlessness in Dr. Ambedkar Law College, Chennai

Posted: Nov 12, 2008 Wed 09:45 pm      

The incidents which have taken place in the Dr.Ambedkar Law College, Chennai, situated in the heart of Chennai is heart-rending.
The apathy of the Police is highly condemnable. How can the Police be a silent spectator to all the happenings, on the plea that there has been no complaint? This is highly ridiculous. All the police officials who were standing there must be sacked enmasse and criminal charges must be filed for abetting the crime, for failing to prevent the clashes and their failure to discharge their duties.
Repeated relay of the incidents in the various TV channels have clearly shown the images of the students involved in the incident and the Police officials who stood there as silent spectators. Irrespective of the cadre, all the Police officials who were there as silent spectators must be arrested for their failure to discharge their duties and they must be sacked. Similarly all the students who were involved in the incident must be arrested and booked under ‘Goondas Act’. All the students involved in this incident must also be banned from pursuing any professional courses in future. This should act as a deterrent to others. It is insufficient if action is taken against only a few. The great constitutional stalwart on whose name the college has been christened will weep if he happens to see all this. It is not understood as to how these people are going to protect the Law, when they themselves are behaving like this.
The Video footage shown in the TVs clearly shows more than a dozen students involved in this incident as such all must be arrested and paraded in front of the TVs so that the people are satisfied about the Police action.
Lastly the Police have confessed that they were aware of the trouble brewing in the campus. This clearly shows their inept handling.

The News item as appeared in Times of India of 13/11/2008:-

Two groups of armed students clash
A Subramani | TNN

Chennai: There was a bloodbath on the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law College premises here on Wednesday evening, with two groups of armed students attacking each other with deadly weapons on an examination day. A large posse of police personnel, which had reached the spot in time, stood mute witness to a murderous assault on a student.
Even as the student — who is said to have triggered the whole sequence of violent incidents when he entered the campus brandishing a long knife — was being thrashed by a 15-member mob, the police remained unmoved just a few metres away. Though photo journalists, who were clicking every bit of action, pleaded with the police to rush in and rescue the boy, their cries fell on deaf ears. The 90-minute drama left four students grievously injured.
When asked why police hesitated to enter the campus, an official said they were waiting for permission from the college principal. A senior jurist, however, said that when a cognizable offence is being committed, that too in front of their own eyes, the law enforcing authorities need not wait for any permission. They can act without any complaint, even if it occurs inside private premises, he said. “It is only a convention that police should wait for permission from the college authorities, but nothing in law prohibits them from acting during violence,” admitted a senior education ministry official.
According to eyewitnesses and visuals the boy was attacked by the mob even after he stepped out of the college campus. After the violence, the police sealed all exit gates and trapped a group of about 60 students, including those who had unleashed violence earlier.
Officials, who were closeted with the college principal for a while, later picked up three students — identified as Prabhakar, Jayakumar and Balamurugan — and took them to the Esplanade police station.
A police official said the genesis of the dispute was printing of some wall posters during the recent birth anniversary celebrations of a national leader. A section of students, he said, protested the omission of another leader’s name in those posters. Another official, however, said it was essentially a clash between hostel students and day scholars.

We knew of trouble brewing on campus a week ago, say police
D Suresh Kumar | TNN

Chennai: The brutal clash between two groups of students on the campus of the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law College in Chennai on Wednesday evening was waiting to happen.
The police had got wind of the simmering trouble a week ago and informed college authorities to intervene and douse the feelings of hatred between two communities of students. But when the actual rehearsal for the violence began on Wednesday morning, not a single official acted. Everyone stepped in only after the students launched murderous attacks on each other in a spinechilling display of campus hooliganism.
Police and college authorities described the incident as the fallout of raging differences between day scholars and hostellers. Almost all hostellers are Adi-Dravidars and the day scholars at the college non-Dalits.
“The hostellers were upset that the day scholars had not mentioned the full name of the college in pamphlets printed during the birth anniversary of a national leader recently. We got information that this was becoming a major problem on the campus and asked the principal to convene a meeting of the warring students,” Esplanade assistant commissioner of police K Narayana Moorthy said.
There was no convincing explanation from principal K K Sridev and ACP Moorthy as to how the students managed to smuggle in knives, iron rods, spades, tube-lights, etc., into the campus on an examination day. “While the injured students were day scholars, those who thrashed them were hostellers,” the principal said.
Law minister Durai Murugan disapproved of the police inaction, but said the examination would not be postponed.

Source : Meena Kandasamy

I would have remained silent about the caste clash among the law college students, but for this extremely abusive and derogatory comment from a casteist person who could find no better pseudonym other than Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar (PMT).

This is the said comment from PMT:

“You inhuman ambedkar people beat up our thevar people. How barbariands you are not at all human. you should register under wildlife act. down with the inhuman ambedkarisms”

I have not written about the caste clash among the students any where on this blog, so I fail to understand why I got this comment. However, I have taken the pains to write this post, because I want the world (and at least the readers of my blog) as to what exactly happened in the Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College premises. This post is based on what my friends told me. If this comment had not appeared on my blog, I would reacted like any other mediaperson. I wouldn’t have taken caste names, I wouldn’t want to complicate an already confounded situation. (Now the names of the warring factions are out in the open, so I needn’t apologize). I would have remained silence and started worrying about solutions, rather than take the pains/risks of exposing the real story. But I think that people might be really getting the wrong news, or not getting the long background to this, hence this post.

For the past couple of years, the Thevar Peravai (based in Egmore, Chennai) has been organizing students of their community under the banner of Mukkulathor Maanavar Peravai. Particularly within the law college campus, where politics and caste rule the roost, the effects of such an organization has been enormous. And scary. They have taken an anti-Dalit line and this has led to minor skirmishes in the recent past. In pamphlets and posters within the campus, the Mukkulathoor Maanavar Peravai specially omitted the usage of “Dr.Ambedkar’s” name while referring to the college. By refusing to use the Dalit leaders name, they were taking an explicit anti-Dalit line. It is easy to argue that there’s really nothing to a name, but if there was nothing, why did the Mukkulathoor Maanavar Peravai not evoke his name? And according to students there, these caste tensions ran high especially after the Thevar Jayanthi celebrations (30 October 2008). Within a ten-day span, there had been four assaults on Dalit students. One student of the Mukkulathor caste: Mr. Bharati Kannan, had arranged for rowdies from outside to enter the campus and assault Dalit students. A few Dalit students had been hurt in this attack, but that wasn’t publicized. The chief intention of this oppressive caste students’ organization was to prevent Dalit students from writing their exams. However, the Dalit students who came to know about this, had gone ahead and informed the police who went on to seize weapons from within the campus. The Dalit students also reported this instance to the principal. Because of this widespread fear about what these frenzied casteists (with support from violent/nefarious outside elements) could do to them, around 50-60 Dalit students (primarily those who were keen activists and were publicly known/ identified as ‘Dalits’) refrained from attending the exams. It was the sanest choice, because they had to choose between taking an exam, and having their life taken away. Only those Dalit students whose caste identity was not obvious to a lot of people came to take the exams. These students had complained to the police though about what they were facing. Those who did not undertake the examinations were standing as a group, because of their belief in unity, and belief in the fact that if they were together, they couldn’t be harmed. They also felt that their unity would ensure that other Dalit students (who were taking the exam) would not become victims. However, one Dalit student Chitiraiselvan, who walked out of the exam hall after finishing his exam was attacked brutally by these caste-Hindu Mukkulathor/Thevar students. He was stabbed in the head and his ear was cut off. (News update: A plastic surgery has been performed on him to restitch the ear back into place.) Even as mindless brutality was going on, Chitiraiselvan was stabbed in the stomach. It seems the oppressor caste hoodlums had planned to kill at least half a dozen Dalit students to prove their superiority, that is why they were murderously attacking students who did not even flaunt their Dalit identity. Having realized the possible consequence of where this could lead to, and to safeguard the rest of their friends from further harm, the gathered group of Dalit students decided to retaliate. Nobody must forget that what comes out of video as brutality has a story behind it–this is not to justify the series of events, but to say that there is the other side to the story. The subsequent, and extremely delayed, police intervention turned the tide against dalit students. And I am not even sure I have the confidence to say that things have come to an end. Friends from other places in Tamil Nadu say that Dalit students are being attacked in law colleges in other cities: Coimbatore, Salem and so on. This is how caste has a nuclear fission effect. I think the State has at least done some good by shutting down all law colleges in the state.

Of course, the video coverage doesn’t point out to the students’ caste identities. What has taken place there is a tragedy, it shows brutality. I would blame the police more than anyone else. The police can say that they can’t enter the law college campus without its principal’s permission, but a single shot into the air would have made all the difference in the world. The spectators are more heartless than the rampaging students themselves. And I don’t know where to place trollers like Pasumpon Thevar, who decides to pick on an unrelated person like me simply because I happen to be an Ambedkarist.

I really think being a Dalit student is the hardest job in the whole world. Those who struggle hard and enter the upper crust institutions, are mentally harassed and driven to suicide. In places like the law college, they pay with their blood. When will academic casteist terrorism come to an end?

UPDATES: These are updates that I found in yesterday’s newspaper and
in today’s. I think it will tell you more. It is a pity that
provocative posters continue to appear. . . Bharati Kannan flaunts his
caste and power connections…  And, the state police have only arrested
Dalit students so far.

I am in a mood to actually meet all Dalit lawyers who passed out of
the Dr.Ambedkar Govt. Law College and make them share their experience
of both violence and casteism within the college campus. Somethings
have to be recorded.

‘We had to be violent’

CHENNAI”: “We were just like any other student when we entered the
portals of the law college. If students of New College or Loyola are
not conscious of their caste and we are, you (media) should examine
the reasons rather than point a finger against caste Hindus when it
com es to a Dalit issue. Do you think our parents injected caste
feelings into our blood?” It was a final year student, Ashwathaman,
venting his feelings when asked why students of Dr Ambedkar Government
Law College were divided on caste lines.
Candid about the fact that everyone was aware of everyone’s caste
identity, students of a caste Hindu community said the first thing
they were asked as soon as they entered the college on the first day
was: “What is your caste?” Ragging was based on caste. “The ragging I
endured in their hands cannot be put on print and homosexual assault
was the least of our worries,” said Satish, a final year student.
Vehemently opposing being termed as a caste Hindu, Muthukoo dalingam,
a final year student, said: “Yes, we are Thevars. There are also
Vanniyars, Yadavas, Nadars and Naidus among others castes and a large
number of Christians and even Muslims. We are all united against the
violence they perpetrate on us. Just because the college is named
after Dr Ambedkar does not mean that they run the college or can get
away with several acts of violence.” Asked why they omitted ‘Dr
Ambedkar‘ from the name of the college in the posters,
Muthukoodalingam said Dalit students beat him up last year, when he
was an organiser of ‘Thevar Jeyanthi’ celebrations in the college, for
printing the name. “This year, they created problems becase we left
out the name.” Other students contradicted him. Even last year, ‘Dr
Ambedkar’ was omitted but the clash that broke out was not publicised.
Caste Hindu students said the attack on non-SC students in the hostel
last year landed 30 of them in hospital with injuries and forced
students to seek transfer to other colleges. Now, the hostel was
completely for Dalits.
“We had to be violent as the college authorities turned a blind eye to
our problems. Nobody wanted to be branded as anti-Dalits. Proof of
which is that no action has been taken by the college against erring
students in the last many years. If the college principal had taken
steps three years ago, then the violence would have not escalated to
such levels,” says Ashwathaman.

CHENNAI: A group of students of the Dr. Ambedkar Government Law
College on Saturday attempted to attack a Bahujan Samaj Party
functionary near the General Hospital. Police personnel stationed
there intervened and escorted him to safety.

BSP leader Rajappa of Pallavaram was on his way to see a friend
admitted to the hospital, when the students, seeing the party flag on
his vehicle, surrounded him. The police team sensed trouble and acted
fast.

Irked by the police providing security to the BSP leader, the students
staged a road blockade in front of the hospital and stoned a
Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus. Two passengers were injured.
Traffic was disrupted for a while. Twenty-three students were
arrested. They were released in the evening.

“The police acted in time to rescue Mr. Rajappa from a possible
attack. The students were taken into custody for blocking traffic and
damaging a State-owned bus,” Commissioner of Police K. Radhakrishnan
told The Hindu.A team of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes,
led by Director (Economic and Social Development Wing) V.K. Rathi,
arrived here from New Delhi on Saturday. The team went to Government
Royapettah Hospital and recorded a statement from Chithirai Selvan, a
Dalit student injured in the recent clash between students, police
sources said.

BSP State secretary Selva Perunthagai and others representing the
Federation of Dalit Organisations met the Commissioner of Police and
submitted a petition, seeking a fair investigation into Wednesday’s
clash. They said a group of Caste Hindu students had attacked Dalit
students, who objected to the printing of provocative handbills, on
the college campus. They demanded registration of a case under the
SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989, against those who attacked
the Dalit students.

The special teams formed to round up those involved in the clash
arrested R. Raja (18) at Kurunjipadi in Cuddalore district and C.
Sivakadiravan (23) in Madurai and Premnath (20) in Thanjavur. They had
allegedly attacked some students during the clash.

Proud of his caste, powerful connections

CHENNAI: It was a chilling visual. A student on the prowl with a
dagger in his hand at Dr Ambedkar Government Law College on Wednesday.
A few hours later he ended up in hospital with injuries, with three
others.
In college circles, Bharathi kannan, a third year student, is
identified as a DMK party member.
His party loyalty was evident from the two rings he wore – one with
the picture of DMK youth wing chief MK Stalin and the other with Chief
Minister M Karunanidhi. He is also a member of Thevar Peravai, a
citybased association set up for the welfare of the community.
His collegemates considered him powerful, as he stayed in MLA’s hostel
and reportedly wielded influence in the ruling party. His father, K
Karrupiah, was a three-time panchayat president of Palamkulam in
Sivaganga district. His mother, KR Prema, now holds the post.
Karrupiah denied everything.
He said he and his wife contested as independent candidates in the
panchayat elections and that his family had traditionally supported
the AIADMK.
Thiruvadanai Congress MLA KR Ramsamy visited Bharathi kannan in
hospital on Thursday and enquired about his health.
He was only one among the many who made a beeline for the hospital
over the last two days.
Others included PMK president G K Mani and an AIADMK youth wing
leader. Several caste Hindu leaders promised help.
This show of power was ample proof to the other students present that
his family wielded much power back in Devakottai.
Karuppiah said there was no caste consciousness among the villagers.
Asked how he managed to create a peaceful ambience, he said they
(Dalits) were left alone. Bharathikannan was proud of his caste, his
friends said, adding that trouble started when he responded to calls
for help from other non-SC students.

CHENNAI: Three students were arrested from different parts of the
state on Saturday for their involvement in the violence at the Tamil
Nadu Dr
Ambedkar Government Law College. Police teams fanned out across the
state to track down students and nabbed Siva Kathiravan in Madurai,
Raja in Cuddalore and Premnath in Thanjavur. More arrests are
expected.

Three students were seriously injured in the clash between two groups
of students at the college on Wednesday. Police sources said the
students went underground after the clash and were planning to
surrender before court on the advice of lawyers.

Police identified the arrested student as Siva Kathiravan, son of
Ramaiyah of Madakulam in Madurai. He was arrested from his residence
and brought to the city by train. Sources said photos of Kathiravan, a
second-year student, at the scene of the clash had appeared in many
newspapers.

An investigation officer here said that “Kathiravan will be remanded
in judicial custody after he is produced before a magistrate court on
Saturday.”

Raja, 18, a first-year student at the college, was traced to his
native place, Kurinjipadi in Cuddalore and arrested. According to the
the Madurai police, 25 special teams were scouring Cuddalore,
Virudhunagar, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari in search of
those involved in the clash. The police used photographs published in
newspapers and also television clips to identify them.

Sources said the political bosses have given the city police the green
signal to take action against the students involved. At a confidential
meeting, police officers complained that criminals often used
political connections to get themselves out of a tight situation. The
ministers assured the police that they would not interfere with the
investigation, a senior police officer attached to the commissioner’ s
office said.

Meanwhile, Madurai witnessed stone pelting, and armed police have been
called in to escort buses plying on the outskirts.

selvaraj.a@timesgro up.com

It took 72 hours for the Chennai police to arrest the main accused
involved in the brutal caste violence in Chennai’s Ambedkar Law
College. The other students studying at the institute fear that their
life is as unsafe.

The students say that violence in the college is a regular feature,
but this time, the barbarism has shaken them up like never before.

“These people will not stop attacking us. I am terrified to even go
near our college now. You don’t know, soon you may have to come find
me admitted in one of the beds,” said Dinesh, a student of Ambedkar
Law College, Chennai.

Despite the fear factor, there are some who say it is time to speak out.

“Our parents do not watch English news channels. If we spoke in Tamil
channels, they would have panicked and called us back home. But we
thought police will at least act if we voice our concerns. I might
even be killed by these attackers,” said Satish, a student of Ambedkar
Law College.

The Ambedkar Law College remains closed indefinitely. The National
Human Rights Commission has asked for a report from the Tamil Nadu
government on the violent attacks. But with the Chennai police turning
mute spectators to the attacks, it’s no wonder that fear looms large
among the students.

Chennai (IANS): The recent violence in the Dr Ambedkar Law College
here will be the subject of a forthcoming Tamil movie, a film producer
said Saturday.

“‘Suriyan Sattakkalloori’ has the message that no one is above the law
or should break it. Some of the incidents that attracted the media’s
attention during the past two days will be recreated in the film,” its
producer Siva Shakthi Pandian told IANS.

Featuring Ghajini, daughter of producer Khaja Mohiuddin, the film will
be directed by Pavan, a press statement said.

The film will also be the debut of new find Mithra, it added.

Provocative posters reappear in Chennai

CHENNAI: A fresh set of wall posters with the law college named
without the prefix ‘Dr Ambedkar,’ appeared at various places in the
city, particularly around the college campus, once again on Friday,
two days after Dalits and Backward Class students fought a pitched
battle, triggered by a dispute over some posters carrying the college
name in the same fashion — as ‘Government Law College‘.
The new posters were, however, to demand the arrest of those who
attacked the BC students, K R Bharathi Kannan and K Arumugham, while
the old posters were put up in connection with the ‘Thevar Jayanthi’
celebrations on October 30.
The wording in the posters were independently provocative — K R
Bharathi Kannan, K Arumugam yandra irandu singangalai koduramaka
thaakiya jaathi veriyarkal … (Caste chauvinists who brutally
attacked the two lions K R Bharathi Kannan and A Arumugham should…)
— and was not considered good reason for the police to act.
The newly appointed City Police Commissioner K Radhakrishnan told
Express that it was mandatory for political parties and social
organisations to obtain permission from the police before putting up
posters. “The one that has appeared in and around the law college was
unlawful, and I will immediately intensify police patrolling in the
city,” he added.

 Student violence: New cop warns of action

Source: news.chennaionline.com

Chennai, Nov 14:Chennai’s new Police Commissioner, K Radhakrishnan,
today warned of action in connection with the November 12 violence at
the Dr Ambedkar Law College here which left three students seriously
injured, resulting in the arrest of seven persons.

Speaking to reporters here after assuming office, relieving R Sekar
from the post, Radhakrishnan, said he was scheduled to meet officials
to discuss the matter, before proceeding with the case.

However, he declined to comment more on the case as a judicial
commission would be probing the bloody violence.

But, police would continue with arrests if required, he added.

Warning of strict action against anti-social elements, he said, “we
will enforce strict laws against goondas and gangsters in the city to
ensure peace.” Responding to a query, he said there was no Act which
prevented the police from entering the premises of an educational
institution, but said the permission of the head of the institution
was always obtained as a matter of practice.

Responding to the charge of police “remaining mute spectators” to the
violence at the Law college, he said that the members of the force
required some sensitization programme on acting during times of crises
and confustion. – Agencies

Chitraiselvan, the third year student of Dr Ambedkar Law College,
convalescing at the Royapettah Government Hospital following injuries
he sustained in Wednesday’s violence, told the National Commission for
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes on Saturday that he was the first
to be attacked allegedly by students belonging to a backward community
on that day. They were armed with deadly weapons, he told the
commission.

S S Sharma, Joint Director of the Commission told that Chitraiselvan
who was inside the campus along with other Dalit students, when a
group of backward class students attacked him causing injuries on his
head and ear.

Seeing blood oozing out of his ears, the Dalit students attacked the
other group of students and later took Chitraiselvan to the hospital.

Chitraiselvan told the commission that it was a poster put up, on the
occasion of Thevar Jayanthi celebrations, by the backward class
students, referring to the law college as “Government Law College‘
without the prefix “Dr Ambedkar,” that had triggered the clash.

The commission has so far not received any complaint on the violence
that broke out on Wednesday. “We came here after learning about the
incidents in the media, to ascertain the details of the victim
(Dalits),” Sharma said.

The commission will not set up an enquiry based on media reports about
the violence. “We will wait for the finding of the commission
appointed by the State Government,’ ‘ Sharma said.

When asked about the increasing caste conflicts in Tamil Nadu
particularly in the southern districts, Sharma said the phenomena was
not confined only to Tamil Nadu and added that even other states
witnessed caste clashes.

“Only if the commission receives complaints, can we enquire and take
action against the accused under Section 338 of IPC. However, he added
that the state unit of the commission was receiving around 300
complaints from SC/ST communities every month. The commission,
comprising its Under Secretary S N Meena and Director (HQ) Rathi,
would spend the next two days in Chennai.

The Facts behind the Incidents of violence at Chennai Dr. Ambedkar Law College

Source: Sakya Group

Dear Friends,

This is a fact finding report into the current caste conflict in Chennai.
The purpose is to muster quick support to the Dalit students involved
because they are just feeling helpless. If any of you (including
organizations) wish to come forward, you may contact me. My contact is +91
9820216146.

- Anand Teltumbde

The incident of violence on 12.11.2008 at
Dr.Ambedkar Law College has shaken the conscience of every body. This
incident surely needs to be condemned. The reason behind the submission of
details herein is to bring out the facts behind the incidents of violence at
a law college that we all believe is to produce future judges and socially
conscious lawyer.

That clashes take place in the law college is not a new phenomena.
We are shaken thoroughly to know the details of the brewing tension over the
past four years that has broken out violently today. “Thevar Peravai” that
functions with its headquarters at Chennai has been concentrating,
specifically targeting the Thevar community students from the southern
districts of Tamilnadu. It functions primarily in whipping up the passions
and utilizes them for their vested parochial goals. With these students a
casteist organization named ‘ Mukkulothor Student’s Federation” has already
been formed. The main objective of this organization is to target and attack
the Dalits. And they also raise queries like while all other 4 govt. law
colleges are named as Govt.law college, why should the Chennai law college
be named after Dr.Ambedkar and called Dr.Ambedkar law college. Since
Dr.Ambedkar is a Dalit this name should be changed. This is their contention
for their past 4 years. They do not use Ambedkar’s name in any of their
advertisement and mention it only as ‘Chennai Law College’.

Such activities has raised unnecessary discomfiture amonsgtthe
dalit students and raised a sense of hatred between the communities. In all
these issues Bharathi Kannan, belonging to Mukkulathor Student Federation is
the prime culprit. In the recent past,( in 6 months duration) Bharathi
Kannan was waiting with five of his friends with swords in hand prowling to
kill atleast tow Dalit boys. Police came to know of this and arrested him
red handed with 3 long swords in their possession. But they were released
without any complaints been filed against them. Though the college
authorities were in the know of his activities it did not make any efforts
to curb him. In the same manner he with his friends went and attacked the
students of Dr.Ambedkar Law college residing in hostel at Millers road,
Kilpauk. The Principal did not take any action. At least there are 17 cases
including attempt to murder, pending on Bharathi Kannan.

In this circumstance on ’30th October’ during the Thevar Jayanthi
the passion were whipped up. The poster prepared by Mukkulothor Students
Federation expressed the re assertion of its casteist hierarchy, with usages
avoiding Dr. Ambedkar’s name. Also they teased the Dalit students on that
day. The Dalits who questioned this were beaten up and with the law college
students having exams from 3 rd of November, Mukkulothor Students Federation
declared that any Dalit entering the college would be thrashed and killed.
They were roaming around in the college complex with logs, iron rod, dagger
and swords. Dalit boys could not enter the hall. Some Dalit boys came
sneaking through and wrote the exams. Police or college authority did not
take any action even though they were in the know of things.

Only on such a condition they came on 12.11.2008with logs, sticks
etc for self protection. College authorities insisted that the students
should avoid precipitating the issue. The Dalit students retorted stating
that when the college authorities did not take any action when they were
being prevented from attending exams, and they had come there for giving
protection for Dalits and not attacking the Mukkulathor. Since some Dalit
students have come for exams and Mukkulathors have identified and planned to
attack them, they came for their defence. In such a situation
Bharathikannan, Arumugam and Ayyadurai with daggers 2 ft. long, jumped in
shouting that they shall kill at least 5 or so and moved towards the Dalit
students. The Dalit students ran helter- shelter for their safety. When
Bharathi Kannan and Arumugam ran and caught hold of Chithraiselvan, a Dalit
student and tried to stab him down through the head. When he turned and
saved his head his ears were torn off by the dagger. Other students joined
in to save Chithrai Selvan and hit Bharathi kannan and Arumugam.

The sole responsibility for this callous approach rests entirely
with the college authorities. For the last 4years when in the name of
celebrating Thevar Jayanthi, efforts to assert caste hierarchy were being
made, specifically failing to address Dr.Ambedkar Law college as such and
naming it only as Chennai law college, threatening of the Dalit students,
issuing threat to life for those Dalit students who opposed bringing caste
conflict into the campus etc were brought to the notice of the college
authorities no action was taken. Especially, for the last three days when it
was brought to their notice of the magnitude and massive proportion of the
brewing trouble, police or the college authorities made no action was taken
to prevent the same.

In this situation Bharathi Kannan came in with daggers in hand to
attack Dalit students. If the college authorities had acted in time this
incident of violence could have been prevented.

Our demands:

1) Take appropriate action on the Principal for failing to take necessary
action in time to prevent the brewing violence.

2) College authorities should initiate necessary action to prevent the
casteist organizations that function from within the campus triggering
violence.

3) Give due protection to all the students especially the Dalit students.

4) Take necessary action on those behind the incidents of violence, the
organization, Thevar Peravai for fomenting casteist feelings.

5) Take appropriate action on the police authorities that failed to prevent
the students who prowled inside the college campus for the past one week
with weapons.

Express News Service First Published : 17 Nov 2008 03:40:00 AM ISTLast
Updated : 17 Nov 2008 08:35:09 AM ISTCHENNAI: The violence that took
place at Dr Ambedkar Government Law College here on November 12 was
waiting to happen. At least that is what several persons in the know
of things say. According to them, the violence on Wednesday last,
could have been prevented had the authorities intervened at the right
time. The authorities of course have a different take on it.

According to students of the college, several minor incidents preceded
the serious clashes that took place on November 12. The setting up of
Mukkulathor Students Forum, by a section of students, is said to be
the bone of contention. Following this, many stray incidents happened
in the college hostel premises that sharpened the caste divide among
students. It is understood that similar brawls had happened in the
hostel in October last as well. All the clashes that have happened in
the recent past have been between Dalit and Mukkulathor students,
sources said.

On October 30, a day prior to Muthuramalinga Thevar’s Guru Pooja,
minor scuffles broke out over the posters that were pasted in the
campus. All the students involved in the scuffle were hostelers.

The omission of the Dr Ambedkar’s prefix, by whose name the college
goes, from the poster-advertisemen ts for the guru pooja function
turned to be the flashpoint between the two groups of students.

When asked, college officials said they have always tried to bring
peace and calm among the students. As regards the recent trouble,
college principal Sridevan and police officials tried to bring a
compromise but failed. “But we never thought that the problem would
become so serious,” they said.

“Unfortunately, the law college hostel has been a centre for casteist
tension for some time now and at least now authorities should take
steps to bring a permanent solution,” former students of the college
– E Abdul Rahimon, V Needhidurai and B Maheswaran – said.

Several of the students who were contacted had a different take on the
problem. They were of the view that there was no tension or caste
rivalry in the college. “It all starts in the hostel,” they opinioned.

A senior police official, requesting anonymity, said that they
(police) were sick and tired of the frequent protests and troubles
created by students of the law college. “Every now and then, they
[students] create some kind of problem. Recently, they picked up a
quarrel with a bus crew and blew it out of proportion,” the official
said adding that on almost all occasions students had behaved in an
unruly manner often resorting to verbal abuse.

“This is one reason why we are hesitant to deal with problems created
by them. Also, a battery of lawyers is always available to defend
without trying to understand the problem.”