The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led government in Tamil Nadu, alleging widespread atrocities against Dalit communities and claiming that even politicians are not spared from the violence.
Union Minister L. Murugan, during a press conference at the BJP’s national headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday, stated that a delegation from the Tamil Nadu unit of the party, led by State Vice President V.P. Duraisamy, would approach the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Human Rights Commission later in the day, urging them to take appropriate action on the matter.
Senior leaders from the BJP Tamil Nadu unit, including V.P. Duraisamy, were also present at the press conference.
“Since the DMK came to power in May 2021, there has been a significant increase in atrocities against Dalits in Tamil Nadu. A survey indicates that more than 2,000 cases of atrocities against Dalits are filed in the State every year,”Murugan stated.
He cited a series of alleged atrocities against Dalits since 2022 and mentioned several attacks and murders of BJP leaders in the State, attributing the violence to the “complete failure” of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s administration.
“Recently, K. Armstrong, a Dalit leader and BSP State president, was murdered,” he said, stressing that “even political leaders are not safe” under the current DMK rule.
Murugan accused the DMK government of failing to provide security for Scheduled Caste leaders and people, who he said are facing harassment under the DMK regime. He challenged the DMK’s claim of being a pioneer of social justice, arguing that the party’s actions do not reflect its proclaimed commitment to social justice.
“[Tamil Nadu Chief Minister] Stalin doesn’t have the moral right to talk about social justice because of the incidents of atrocities against Dalits taking place in the State,” Murugan added.
