The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Quitters don't win, but winners do quit

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Saturday, Apr 30, 2005

Opinion

Opinion - Editorials

Quitters don't win, but winners do quit

The resignation of the newly elected president of the Keeripatti panchayat in Tamil Nadu is another reminder of the deep-rooted caste prejudices that, from time to time, nullify the constitutionally mandated efforts at empowering Dalits through reservation in elected bodies. V. Azhagumalai, who was put up by `caste Hindus' only to prevent the candidate supported by the politically assertive Dalit Panthers from winning the by-election, resigned within minutes of assuming office. The whole exercise achieved nothing other than providing another opportunity to the representatives of the Thevar community, who see themselves as superior to Dalits in the caste hierarchy, to reiterate their demand for de-reservation of the panchayat president's post. But to view the entire election process as an exercise in futility will be to play into the hands of casteist elements in the panchayat who have placed their notions of clan honour above the need for democratic local government.

After dominating panchayat affairs for generations, the Thevars of Keeripatti are not willing to countenance a situation where they must formally acknowledge a Dalit as panchayat chief. Although comparable situations have arisen in other panchayats, the dominant castes in those areas were agreeable to wielding power through a duly elected Dalit proxy. Keeripatti, Pappapatti, and Nattarmangalam have been the shameful exceptions. In Pappapatti, the election was postponed because of the death of a candidate; and in Nattarmangalam no Dalit dared to file nomination. From 1996, when the panchayats were reserved for Dalits, the `caste Hindus' of Keeripatti and Pappapatti have either prevented Dalits from contesting the elections or managed to get a subservient Dalit to win the election and then resign. The State Government sent a high-level delegation, including Ministers, to these panchayats in 2003 on a mission of soft persuasion. However, the obduracy of the `caste Hindus' has only hardened over the years. Nattarmangalam elected a Dalit president in 1996, but the `success' of Pappapatti and Keeripatti in thwarting the democratic process inspired the hawks in that panchayat to adopt similar tactics.

There have been several suggestions on how the situation can be remedied. These include the conduct of elections on a party basis and holding back funds from panchayats that have no elected head. Political parties that swear by social reform and social justice have failed to show any spine on this matter. Thevars derive their dominance only nominally from their caste status: what allows them to dictate terms to Dalits is a semi-feudal system of land ownership. Unless the dependence of the Dalit workers on the landholding Thevars is removed, the socio-political equation is unlikely to change. Until this happens, Dalits might not see any point in risking life, limb, and livelihood for a chance to lord it over the Thevars for the duration of a panchayat term.

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