Caste Atrocities against Scheduled Castes in Tamil Nadu – 1990 to 2023

Research in collaboration with Dr. K. Ragupathi, Member, Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, Chennai.

The people of Scheduled Caste, who assisted in transforming these conditions and the development of the state’s economy, started their struggle against oppression and to be freed from discrimination during the British era and the globalisation period, when traditional productions were constantly changing to modern productions in the political and economic conditions. The post-modern identity politics and cultural and literary movements for the freedom of the “Dalit” people sparked a more intense conflict than ever before. These kinds of larger-scale liberation struggles have been experienced in southern Tamil Nadu since 1990s. The Scheduled Caste (Adi Dravidars) were largely willing to agree to take the enjoyment of their constitutional rights, thus the “so-called” dominating castes used various tactics to block them. They became at conflict with one another as a result, and many atrocities broke out across Tamil Nadu, especially in the southern regions. The degree of atrocities increased, with huts being set on fire, people being killed in large numbers, and property being looted.

The present study aims to find out the statistics on atrocities will be gathered from the reports of National Scheduled Caste Commission and Tamil Nadu Police Report. Data regarding the compensation to the victims will be collected from the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department in selected villages of Tamil Nadu. Qualitative data will be collected from victims and their families.

Dr.S.Ilavarasi

Research Associate of Centre for Social Justice and Equity of Madras School of Social Work has completed her master’s and M.Phil. degrees in women’s studies. She did her doctoral research on ‘Women and Water: Problems and Possibilities of Water Governance – AMicrostudy in Tamil Nadu’ and awarded her Ph.D. in 2019. She has two years of experience as a Research Associate at the State Institute of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (SIRD & PR) of Government of Tamil Nadu in the period of 2018–2020, in which she has engaged with action research projects primarily focusing on gender and Sustainable Development Goals. She has been engaging in gender sensitization training programmes, menstrual hygiene management trainings, and sexual harassment against women. She had teaching experience as guest lecturer in women’s studies at Bharathidasan University and University of Madras for two years. She has published research papers and journals on gender and water governance. She has also produced documentaries on the themes of marginalised communities includes dalits, tribes, and women. She has participated and organised various national and international conferences.