Latest news with #Vanniyars
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Ramadoss seeks to play down rift, hopes for a ‘miracle' to amicably settle the dispute
PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Sunday sought to play down the ongoing rift with his son and PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss. At a press conference, Dr. Ramadoss said that office-bearers abstaining from the meetings called by him was not 'uncommon' in political parties. 'Some people will go there; some will come here. We will change the district secretaries based on their performance. There is no confusion,' he said. Asked when he would meet his son, Dr. Anbumani, he said 'miracles do happen'. Dr. Anbumani, who met office-bearers from southern districts on the third day, said Dr. Ramadoss was the symbol of 'social justice' and that PMK was founded in order to come to power. 'We can develop Tamil Nadu only when we have the power. Caste census is not just for Vanniyars; but 377 communities are benefitting due to reservation. Still, we do not know how many communities are not receiving the benefits of reservation. I am going to go on a yatra across Tamil Nadu,' he said. Dr. Anbumani reiterated, 'There will be no permanent leader in this party. This is a democratic party. President is elected by the general council.'
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ramadoss hits out at Anbumani, his wife over PMK's loss in 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Founder of PMK (NDA ally) S Ramadoss on Thursday said that though he wanted to remain in an alliance with the AIADMK, his son and Rajya Sabha MP Anbumani Ramadoss and his wife wanted to align with the BJP. 'I wanted an alliance with AIADMK for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,' Ramadoss said at a press conference held at his residence in Thailapuram. 'But suddenly, Anbumani and his wife Sowmya came to Thailapuram and cried to me, and held my legs insisting on an alliance with the BJP…. An AIADMK-PMK alliance would have been a natural one. Had it materialised, PMK might have won three seats and AIADMK seven. We could have won 10 seats together. Anbumani said that if we were to refuse a BJP alliance, I should be the one to take the blame. I was left with no option.' To be clear, Ramadoss's assertion has been doing rounds ever since the AIADMK left the BJP in 2023 before patching up this April. After the split, those in the NDA including PMK stayed with the BJP with only the DMDK taking the AIADMK's side. Over the years, the PMK which is an influential party among the dominant community of Vanniyars with a core vote bank of about 5%, has swung between the DMK and AIADMK except in 2016 when Anbumani was their chief ministerial candidate. The patriarch on April 11 took over the party from his son, successor and Rajya Sabha MP Anbumani Ramadoss. The father made himself president of the PMK once again and announced that Anbumani would be its working president on the day Union home minister Amit Shah arrived in Chennai. On the following day, Shah announced that the BJP and AIADMK have patched up after 19 months and will fight the 2026 elections together. Anbumani subsequently challenged his father asserting that he continues to be the party chief since he was elected by PMK's general council. Anbumani's Rajya Sabha tenure also ends in July and his seat is among the six seats in Tamil Nadu to which biennial elections will be held. While the DMK has announced it's nominees for 6 seats, the AIADMK is yet to announce for two seats. Senior Ramadoss accused his son of threatening PMK officer bearers against attending his meeting in which only 13 out of 220 party office bearers turned up on May 16. The incident also indicated that the support within the PMK was leaning towards his son. Ramadoss, who is now 85, also regretted letting Anbumani become a Union minister at the age of 35 in 2004 and accused him of trying to attack his mother during a family gathering. 'I have led this movement for 45 years with discipline and dignity,' an emotional Ramadoss said. 'But now, the very calf I raised has turned on me. I am shattered.' He accused his son for the rift and for the weakening of the PMK. Ramadoss and Anbumani have been sparring publicly since December 2024. Anbumani had objected to Ramadoss' decision to appoint his nephew as the youth wing chief of PMK. 'He flung the microphone on the table which barely missed my head,' Ramadoss said critiquing that he lacked leadership qualities. At the PMK youth conference held on May 11, Anbumani praised his father for his effort for over 45 years with the Union government which has now announced conducting a caste census. But, the father did not return the kind words and said that the cadre are not working hard enough. Anbumani and his supporters did not wish to comment until the time of writing.
New Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
PMK flays Tamil Nadu govt's plan to open new sand quarries
CHENNAI/DHARMAPURI: PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday strongly condemned the statement government's alleged decision to open over 20 new sand quarries across 13 districts, calling it a grave threat to the environment. He warned if the government fails to shut down river sand quarries and take concrete steps to protect the environment, PMK would launch state-wide protests. In a statement, he pointed out rampant sand mining in the Kollidam river has resulted in seawater intrusion into groundwater sources, turning freshwater saline and affecting hundreds of villages. Anbumani called for alternative measures instead, such as importing sand from countries like Malaysia and promoting artificial sand production to meet the construction industry's needs at affordable prices. Meanwhile, attending a party event at Kadathur in Dharmapuri, Anbumani said DMK is the enemy of Vanniyars as it has denied reservation for the community. He also blamed the DMK government and Chief Minister MK Stalin for not taking caste survey and not giving internal reservation for Vanniyars in Tamil Nadu.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
PMK founder Ramadoss warns of statewide stir if 10.5% quota not implemented for Vanniyars
VILLUPURAM: PMK founder S Ramadoss on Monday warned that Tamil Nadu would see a statewide agitation if the 10.5% internal reservation for Vanniyars is not implemented. He said the government should act to prevent such a protest. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of Vanniyar Sangam administrators held at Thailapuram, Ramadoss said, 'If the 10.5% internal quota is not granted, Tamil Nadu will face a protest that could bring the state to a standstill. It is the government's responsibility to prevent such a scenario.' Ramadoss said, 'This meeting was to strengthen the organisation, discuss principles, and ensure victory in the upcoming elections,' he said. Responding to questions on party responsibilities, Ramadoss said, 'Some media outlets are spreading false information. Both the party and the sangam are functioning as usual. An official announcement on the protest for the 10.5% quota will be made after discussions with all stakeholders.'
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- The Hindu
Kannagi - Murugesan ‘honour' killing in TN: a crime that revealed the ugly reality of caste
Nearly 22 years ago, S. Murugesan, 25, a Dalit youth, and Kannagi, 24, a Vanniyar girl, fell in love with each other. Murugesan was an engineering graduate from Annamalai University, Chidambaram, and Kannagi studied B. Com at the university. They got acquainted during their college days. Both hailed from Pudukkoorapettai, near Virudhachalam, in Cuddalore district. He was working in Bengaluru. Kannagi's father Duraisamy was the president of the village panchayat and Murugesan's father Samikannu was a farm worker, who lived on the outskirts of the village, far removed from where the Vanniyars and other caste Hindus lived. Apprehending stiff opposition to their marriage, Murugesan and Kannagi had their marriage solemnised at a temple at Manjakuppam in Cuddalore, on May 5, 2003. They also registered it. After marriage, they went home. On July 3, 2003, Duraiswamy learnt that his daughter was taken away by Murugesan while going to Chidambaram to attend the monthly seminars at the university. 'Disrepute to family' Duraisamy sent his son Marudhupandiyan to find out the whereabouts of his daughter. It was their idea to eliminate the couple for causing disrepute to their family and caste. Marudhupandiyan visited the house of Samikannu and asked Samikannu and his brother Ayyasamy to bring Murugesan to the village. Ayyasamy innocuously brought Murugesan from a neighbouring village. He was dragged to the village and beaten up by Duraisamy and his men in front of a temple, where about 100 people had gathered. Velmurugan, younger brother of Murugesan, recalled, 'My brother was beaten up severely. They tortured him: tying up his legs with a rope, they lowered him, upside down, into a deep bore-well near the temple, asking him to disclose the whereabouts of Kannagi.' Murugesan begged for his life and said Kannagi was in the custody of his relative Saroja at Moongilthuraipattu. Then, Duraisamy's men brought Kannagi to the village in the early hours of July 8 from Saroja's house. She was taken to a burial ground. Murugesan was also taken there by Duraisamy and his relatives. Duraisamy went over to Kannagi and spat on her face. Then, he handed pesticide in a tumbler to his son Maruthupandian, and they made Kannagi consume it. Thereafter, Maruthupandian handed over poison to a relative of Murugesan and asked him to pour it into the mouth of Murugesan. As Murugesan resisted, they opened his mouth with a knife and poured the poison in. While Murugesan's body was burnt near a stream, Kannagi's body was taken to a crematorium meant for the caste Hindus. Sent away by the police On the day of occurrence, Chinnapillai, stepmother of Murugesan, went to the Virudhachalam police station, along with a few relatives. They were sent away by the police. The death of the couple was hushed up by the influential persons, but it spread by word of mouth. A Tamil weekly carried a report and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan raised the issue at a press conference. Initially, Duraisamy and his group claimed that the couple committed suicide because of irreconcilable differences. However, Samikannu and other Dalits alleged that the Vanniyars had brought Murugesan and Kannagi, by deceit and force, to Pudukkooraipettai and murdered them. It took nine days for the Virudhachalam police to register a case, on the basis of voluntary confession by Duraisamy. Inspector Sellamuthu implicated three Dalits, including Samikannu, and arrested eight men: four Vanniyars and four Dalits, including Duraisamy, Maruthupandiyan, Samikannu, and Ayyasamy. The police claimed that Duraisamy admitted that he felt ashamed of the love affair and asked Samikannu and Ayyasamy to bring the couple to the village. He gave poison to his daughter and Samikannu gave the left-over to his son. Both of them cremated the bodies. The arrest of Samikannu and the three other Dalits caused a controversy since the Dalits believed that they were, in no way, involved in the murder. Thereafter, the Dalits approached advocate P. Rathnam who, though not a Dalit by birth, championed their causes. Mr. Rathnam and a team of lawyers visited the village and prepared a report. They fought for justice until the Supreme Court delivered its verdict last month. Within 23 days of the occurrence, the Principal Sessions Judge, Cuddalore, granted bail to the arrested persons, reasoning that Duraisamy would be disqualified from the post of panchayat president if he was to be in judicial custody for more than 30 days. After being released on bail, Samikannu and the other Dalits approached the Madras High Court for a CBI investigation. Meanwhile, inspector Sellamuthu completed his probe and filed a charge sheet before the Judicial Magistrate, arraigning the four Vanniyars and four Dalits, who were arrested earlier, as the accused. Subsequently, the High Court ordered the CBI to conduct a fresh investigation. The CBI filed a charge sheet on October 14, 2005, before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Chengalpattu, against 15 accused, including Tamilmaran, sub-inspector, and Sellamuthu, inspector, of the Vriddhachalam police station. Though the final report was filed by the CBI in 2005, the case was committed to the Court of Session only after more than four years. The trial court framed the charges and questioned the accused persons more than seven years after the crime. The reason for this inordinate delay was the filing of petitions for discharge of the accused persons, and for cancellation of the bail of some of the accused persons for intimidating the witnesses. Death sentence awarded On September 24, 2021, the Special Court for Exclusive Trial of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act Cases, Cuddalore, acquitted Ayyasamy and Gunasekaran of all the charges. It awarded the death sentence to Marudhupandian and life imprisonment to Duraiswami and 11 others. Following appeals, a Division Bench of the High Court delivered a common judgment on April 13, 2022, and commuted the death sentence imposed on Marudhipandian. However, it confirmed the life sentence imposed on nine of the convicts, including Duraisami, while acquitting Rangasamy and Chinnadurai. The court also set aside the life sentence imposed on Tamilmaran, a former sub-inspector, and sentenced him to two years in prison. On April 28 this year, the Supreme Court Bench, comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Prashant Kumar Mishra, dismissed the appeals from the convicts. All the appellants, who were on bail, were asked to surrender within two weeks to serve out their sentences. Writing the judgment, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said, 'This is a case of a dastardly murder of a young couple who were only in their early twenties... Both of them were administered poison in full view of a large number of villagers. The masterminds and the main perpetrators of this macabre act were none other than the father and the brother of the girl Kannagi. The reason behind the murder of this young couple was that Kannagi, belonging to the Vanniyar community, had dared to marry Murugesan, who was a Dalit from the same village. So, at the root of this crime is the deeply entrenched hierarchical caste system in India, and ironically, this most dishonourable act goes by the name of honour-killing!' 'A crime is an act against the state. But a wicked and odious crime, as the one we have just dealt with, is the ugly reality of our deeply entrenched caste structure. Honour-killing, as these are called, must get a strong measure of punishment,' the judges said. ₹5 lakh in compensation The court also ordered the Tamil Nadu government to award ₹5 lakh in compensation to the parents of Murugesan, besides the amount awarded or ordered by the Court of Session and the High Court.
