Tamil Nadu: Senior Tamil Nadu Congress leader K. Selvapperundhagai has expressed serious concern over incidents of caste-based atrocities and social pressure in the state. He stated that the lack of strict action against the perpetrators in such cases is the main reason for the continued rise in such crimes.
He issued this statement through a post on the social media platform ‘X’ on Wednesday. In his post, he mentioned an incident in the Nadupatti area of Kulathur taluk in Pudukkottai district, in which Hariharan, a young man from a marginalized community, died. He described the incident as extremely painful and shocking.
K. Selvapperundhagai wrote that the death of a young man due to social and caste pressure stemming from a love affair is highly condemnable. He called it a brutal act against the principles of humanity and equality. According to him, the occurrence of such incidents in a modern and civilized society is a matter of concern and exposes the backwardness within society.
The Congress leader further stated that caste-based atrocities against youth have become a major challenge to social justice. He also stated that if timely and strict action is not taken in such cases, the morale of the perpetrators is boosted, leading to repeated incidents.
He demanded that those involved in this case be booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and sections related to abetment to suicide, and that strict legal action be ensured.
He also appealed to the state government to take effective and stringent measures to prevent caste-based threats and violence. He stated that it is the responsibility of both society and the government to ensure the safety of the lives of youth and eliminate any form of social discrimination.
Selvaperundhagai also stated in his statement that unless strict action is taken in such cases, the spirit of equality and justice cannot be fully established in society. He described this incident as a serious social issue and stressed the need to take concrete steps to prevent it.
After this statement, the discussion regarding cases of caste-based atrocities in the state has once again intensified and reactions are coming on this issue at various levels.
