NTK chief coordinator Seeman has stirred up a controversy by seeking to replace “caste” with “clan” when it comes to murders triggered by inter-caste love affairs.
In a speech in Mannargudi, a video clipping of which is being shared on social media, Mr. Seeman is heard saying that he will not refer to the murder of Dalits by upper caste family members of their partners as ‘Saadhi aanava kolai’ (caste killings). “I will call it ‘Kudi perumai kolai’ (murder because of pride over clan) because there are no castes in Tamil society... only clans,” he said. The viral clip attracted sharp responses. On social media, critics said replacing “caste killings” with the term “murders due to Tamil clan pride” would not change anything.
A VCK leader said Tamil nationalists must not simply stop with the declaration that there are no castes but must speak about how horizontal social divisions in Tamil society become solidified as vertical caste orders, according to the Varnashrama dharma.
He said taking such a position would be difficult, as it would mean debunking myths and claims made by caste leaders in Tamil Nadu.
