VCK Plans Statewide Demonstrations Against DMK Government Over Vengaivayal Incident
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Synopsis
The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a Dalit political party in Tamil Nadu, has announced plans for extensive protests across the state in response to the state's Crime Branch report on the Vengaivayal case, involving human faeces found in a drinking water tank serving Dalit households.
Key Takeaways
- VCK protests against DMK government.
- Incident involved human faeces in drinking water.
- Three Dalit individuals charged in Vengaivayal case.
- Party demands an independent judicial inquiry.
- Possible reconsideration of VCK-DMK alliance.
Chennai, Feb 12 (NationPress) The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a Dalit political party in Tamil Nadu, has declared its intention to hold widespread protests throughout the state against the recent findings by the state Crime Branch regarding the Vengaivayal case.
This case revolves around the December 2022 incident where human faeces were discovered in an overhead drinking water tank serving Dalit households in Vengaivayal, located in Pudukkottai district. The Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) of the Tamil Nadu Police recently informed the Madras High Court that the matter had been resolved, resulting in a charge sheet being filed against three individuals—who are all Dalits.
On January 20, a charge sheet was presented to a special court for cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Pudukkottai, naming J. Muraliraja (33), B. Sudharshan (21), and K. Muthukrishnan (23) as the accused. Notably, all three individuals listed in the charge sheet are Dalits. They face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 277 (defiling water), Section 427 (committing mischief), Section 201 (destroying evidence), and Section 109 (abetment).
In December 2022, human faeces were found floating in an overhead water tank constructed by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board under the Cauvery Combined Water Supply Scheme. This contamination resulted in several children falling ill, prompting resident R. Kanagaraj to lodge a complaint with the Vellanur police. Reports indicated that some young villagers had climbed up the tank and confirmed the presence of faeces. The discovery incited widespread outrage, leading to significant protests, particularly from Dalit organizations, including the VCK.
In reaction, the Tamil Nadu government transferred the case to the CB-CID. Despite the CB-CID’s charge sheet, the VCK has voiced strong discontent with the investigation, asserting that the charge sheet should not be viewed as the conclusive report.
The party has been advocating for an independent judicial inquiry into the situation.
According to insiders in the VCK, party leader and Member of Parliament Thol Thirumavalavan is awaiting a response from the Tamil Nadu government regarding the establishment of a one-man judicial commission to further investigate the issue.
Thirumavalavan had personally engaged with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, requesting him to appoint either a retired Supreme Court judge or a retired High Court judge to oversee the investigation.
At a recent high-level party meeting in Chennai, attended by both VCK Lok Sabha MPs—Thol Thirumavalavan and D. Ravikumar—a decision was made to escalate protests if the government fails to promptly establish the judicial commission.
The Vengaivayal situation has placed pressure on the ruling DMK, as the VCK is a crucial part of the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu. Speculation has arisen that the VCK may reconsider its alliance with the DMK, as the handling of the case has reportedly impacted the party’s core Dalit voter base. With the VCK intensifying its pursuit of justice, the Tamil Nadu government is now under increasing pressure to take additional action in this matter.
