Blood and Triumph

 Original Source: https://www.jeyamohan.in/186805/

Dear J,

This is a Facebook post by a supporter of Dravidian movement, whom you would also know.

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"We are aghast at the fact that students are wielding machete, them following caste differences and caste supremacy, treating a co-student as a slave, their usage of drugs", so say several 'Martians' in their posts.

I am aghast at these Martians. All I have to tell them is this one thing:

"Wake up Anjali, Wake up!! Open your eyes and observe what's happening around you". (First part of this being a famous dialogue from the Tamil film Anjali).

The incident at Nanguneri is just a sample of the state of the forsaken, neglected and insalubrious Government schools, the mental setup of its current generation of students and its long-term consequences.

It's depressing and unpleasant to say this, but still need to be said. This kind of incidents will only continue. Do not fear, for panicking often will make make you accustomed to it.

(Ilangovan Muthiah)

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I got reminded of only one thing. This is what you were highlighting a year back, regarding the increased violence among the Government School Students and the way it has grown so out of proportions as couldn't be controlled by teachers. Even in this incident, the families of the assailants have stood by them till the last moment. The family members have also been arrested. The family and their caste will help them face the judicial proceedings. They will remain imprisoned for a brief while and as soon as the chargesheets are filed, they would be out on bail and would start attending school. In fact, they will only be emboldened by their newfound popularity. What in the world can the teachers do?

When you wrote this, you were accused of calling the Government School students as rowdies by these pseudo liberals. They were also urging you to be arrested. These are recorded in the web. (Going by the current standards, if someone would have complained, you would've been arrested). When some time later, the education minister reflected the these thoughts more strongly, the same people welcomed it and registered it as Government's actions.

These imposters do not wish to speak any truth, rather they are focused on creating an image for themselves. They do not let any other thoughts to be put across. In reality, these are the viruses permeating and destroying our environment. Their conscience are not reflected at all. It's all just fake drama.

This incident is an example of the state of our schools. You have been highlighting this via various articles. At least now, let's hope for reform.

Ra. Boopaalan

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Dear Boopaalan,

The sole role of a writer is to speak honestly against the societal realities. I am speaking on the inherent pictures that I develop myself. People who accept or reject those thoughts are merely relying on their own politics and image that they wish to portray of themselves. Never have I paid attention to them. The background of such 'liberals' 'DMK' supporters are based on middle castes. Their thought process has been carved accordingly. While claiming that schools are devoid of violence previously or while being aghast now, they showcase only their casteist attitude. Rest of the other things are merely their public images.

Our government schools are moving towards a stage where teachers cannot control them. Not all schools, but a significant number of them have attained that stage. No action can be taken against any student is the situation presently. Schools didn't have such a level of political intervention previously. Now casteist politics has greatly intruded them. Last year, there was news regarding student getting killed due to caste related issues by his co-students in a village named Pallakaal pothukudi near Mukkudal in Tirunelveli district. Nobody spoke about it. Those who did speak were abused. This is a constant trend in the news.

If ten students in a school are uncontrollable, it affects the entire school. The real victims of such impact are the children from poor families who come to schools with the eagerness to learn and step ahead in life. If it is said to control such reckless students, it doesn't imply that the students of government schools are all bad. It is meant to emphasize that the students from downtrodden families can attain real education. To derive sentiments and humanity in that is to hide the real crime. A crime is a crime irrespective of its motive. To stand with the victim is justice. The government doesn't seem to have realized that dealing with this softly wouldn't help. Fake emotionality is what we get to see even now.

It is the downtrodden students who are impacted in such assaults.  They are weak because they study well. The assailants are generally from families with criminal backgrounds. Hence, it doesn't help if the teachers complain to their families. Police cannot interfere, for political parties will then enter the fray. Consequently, the reality is that good students are left exposed sans any protection before such criminals. It is the government's responsibility to prevent this and provide security to good students rather than blandishing. To expose this and thus to bear the abuses of the imposters are the writer's responsibilities.

This is a casteist assault, an exposition of our societal mentality that is against the Dalit people from getting educated. It shouldn't take a great deal to guess how the assailant children would have reached such mentality through the various things that gets talked about in their houses. I have been saying this time and again that casteist mentality is our social disease. It has permeated in all castes. It is our habit to blame the other caste to cover up our casteism. We shall reconsider that at least now. We shall recognize our situation. Unless we take responsibility for our casteism, no change is possible. It is the basis for our change.

But I view this assault in another perspective. 1970s saw riots in Thirukanangudi. The riots were against the upliftment of the Nadar community. After battling it successfully, they have now become an untouchable force. 1990s saw riots in Kodiyankulam. It was against the upliftment of the Devendrakula Velalar. They have swept past it successfully. This current incident is also similar. This is not a picture of oppression, rather it is an example of upliftment of such people. This bloodspill is the allergic reaction against that upliftment. They shall answer this via their triumph.

J

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_Kodiyankulam_violence