What's driving ‘honour killing’ of lower caste youths in Tamil Nadu?

'Honour killings' or murders to prevent women in the family from marrying outside their caste have become increasingly common in recent years.

Despite its much-touted success in pushing for social justice and reservation benefits for the underprivileged, the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu seems to have hit a roadblock against deep-rooted caste prejudices and notions of community honour. 'Honour killings' or murders to prevent women in the family from marrying outside their caste have become increasingly common in recent years.

The non-Brahmin movement of Periyar mobilised backward classes politically, but appears to have done little to undermine entrenched caste-based social structures.

Last month's hacking to death of a software techie is only one among a series of such killings to prevent inter-caste marriages. That caste pride is still pervasive among educated youth is at odds with the rationalist streak of the Dravidian movement, but the caste fissures in society have all along been in plain sight.

There are political parties closely aligned to caste groups, even pandering to them during an election year. The two Dravidian majors DMK and AIADMK have done little to mitigate this social scourge and justice still stays out of bounds, especially for the Dalits. It is the Dalit parties and the Communists who have been taking up the cause and demanding legislation to prevent the honour killings.

On Wednesday, VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan along with his party colleagues, CPI and CPI(M) members met Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin with a representation, urging him to pass a special law to stop caste based killings and protect intercaste and interfaith couples. The allies of the DMK in their representation said: “Hundreds of lives had been lost to caste-based violence over the past decade. These killings were not just individual or family-driven, but often stem from social pressure, threats from dominant caste groups, katta panchayats (kangaroo courts), and notions of honour and caste purity”.

They, through the representation, urged Stalin to take cognizance of suggestions made by various agencies; of private member bills introduced in Parliament and Tamil Nadu Assembly; and also of similar legislation passed in other states, to pass a law to stop the caste based crimes. As of now, caste based killings are registered as murder under section 302 of the IPC or under 101 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They pointed out that placing the caste crimes under these sections “fails to account for the deep-seated social coercion underlying caste-based honour killings”.

In June 2024, Stalin in the Assembly stated that instead of bringing in new legislation, it is better to conduct investigation correctly and bring the culprits to justice using the existing laws. It is an example of how successive Dravidian governments have been reluctant to disturb the pervading caste structure and pride. And, with the growing right wing influence the caste consciousness is deepening, so much so that the killer finds support among his caste community through social media.

Caste markers in the form of wrist bands and chains in government schools and other institutions are widely popular. In 2019 the state School Education directorate issued directions to officials to crack down on this practice. But, within a few days, the then School Education Minister (AIADMK) KA Sengottaiyan revoked the circular and denied the existence of such markers in schools. Similarly, the Assembly speaker and Radhapuram (south Tamil Nadu) MLA Appavu downplayed the caste clashes in schools as ‘minor disputes’.

The District Vigilance Monitoring Committee (DVMC) - mandated under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 - is meant to protect Dalits. But it does not function properly and is inactive. Even judicial commissions surveying caste clashes term them as law and order problems.

On July 27,  Kavin Selvaganesh (27), a Dalit successful IT professional working with a multinational company in Chennai, was hacked to death by the brother of his girlfriend Subhashini, who belonged to the most backward dominant Maravar (Thevar) caste. The brother Surjith (23) and the parents were opposed to the relationship.

The incident happened in Palayamkottai on the outskirts of the southern city of Tirunelveli, where Thevars swayed the social status of the populace. Soon after Surjith surrendered to the police, social media was filled with support for Surjith, labelling him as a promising athlete ‘protecting the caste pride and his sister’s honour’.

While the Thevars treat the Dalits as untouchable in southern districts, in the north it is the Vanniars. The Vanniar party Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and its leader S Ramadoss coined the word ‘Nadaga Kadhal’ (staged love) claiming that Dalit youths feign love and marry Vanniyar girls to dilute the caste purity. Often, intercaste married couples were poisoned to death. A similar trend prevails in the west where the Gounder community chooses to adhere to caste purity.

There are many high profile killing incidents from these regions. Documented incidents of honour killings in the state numbers to 65, since 2017. But, these are just a few compared to those that go unreported or dismissed as suicide cases. The caste system is ingrained in politics, the police force and even among the local media.

What initiatives the Stalin government, which assured the Madras High Court of completing the investigation in 60 days, has taken so far, is too little an effort to solve a problem of this magnitude. Though Tamil Nadu has been ruled by Dravidian parties for five decades now, standing for social justice and reform, the Dravidian movement, apart from marginalising Brahmin community and Brahminism, has done nothing to protect or provide equality for the Dalits.