The Hindu Business Line : `There is distress on several issues in Tamil Nadu' — K. A. Manikumar, Professor of History, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

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`There is distress on several issues in Tamil Nadu' — K. A. Manikumar, Professor of History, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

Rasheeda Bhagat

recently in Tiruvelveli

With the ruling AIADMK, by all accounts, having alienated many sections of society, "particularly the marginalised" sections, the going will be tough for the AIADMK-BJP combine in this election, says Prof K. A. Manikumar, Professor of History at the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli. "Unfortunately, the Chief Minister has antagonised almost all sections of society. I do not know on whom she is pinning her hopes," he said in an interview to Business Line.

Excerpts from the interview:

What do you think are the main issues before the electorate in Tamil Nadu?

I feel that the neo-liberal economic policies or globalisation pursued in the State by the AIADMK Government has put almost all sections of the population at a disadvantage. I do not want to talk about how the salaried classes have been hit by the government withdrawing the privileges given earlier to government employeesand teachers, as that is well known.

Apart from dealing a blow to the organised sector, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms Jayalalithaa, is perceived to have neglected the unorganised sector too, particularly the agrarian sector. Also, there has been an escalation of oil and petrol prices.

But that is not the AIADMK government's doing...

Yes, but that will form part of the anti-incumbency factor. Also, the withdrawal of free electricity for farmers. There is some manipulation in this scheme to extend it to small farmers, but it is very difficult for marginal farmers to get the benefit of this scheme.

Then there is a lot of discontent among the fisherfolk in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu; they have been affected by the permission given by the State to the corporate sector to be able to move freely in several areas, particularly for sand mining.

Is that a big issue in southern Tamil Nadu?

Yes. One of our university staff who was researching the sand mining issue was assaulted by a group of persons and this was reported in our University's Communication Department magazine. Also, in the coastal areas, apart from the mechanised boats affecting the traditional fisherfolk, MNCs are also coming in.

There is talk here that MNCs have access to interest-free loans and we know they have much better infrastructural facilities to tap better the marine resources. Our fishermen, even those with mechanised boats, are not able to compete with them.

Acute water scarcity, both in towns and villages will also go against the ruling party. In Tirunelveli town, in many colonies there is no groundwater and people are suffering. Animal sacrifice also will be an issue this time.

Why is animal sacrifice so popular in Tamil Nadu?

There are three communities practising it and a lot of sanctity is attached to this ritual. Thevars, Nadars and Konars (Yadavas), apart from the Dalits, practise this custom.

What is the history and how did the practice come about?

Most of these people were denied access to mainstream temples so they had their own temples and blood sacrifice is one of their rituals. The poojari does the sacrifice and there are several temples of Mariamman, Isakiamman and Kaliamman. These are the deities of the marginalised sections.

Both Hindus and Christians — who have been converted but have not given up their customs — are staunch believers in this ritual.

What happens after the sacrifice?

The basic idea is to get together and feast. Whether they have the wherewithal to run the house or not, most families devote at least one goat to the temple or deity and they slaughter it and eat it along with friends and relatives.

But the ban on animal sacrifice has been revoked. So why would it still go against the ruling party?

People believe that this has been done only with the elections in mind and after the elections it will be enforced again.

Is Hindutva an issue?

Not really. That is a concern only for the middle and upper classes who are committed to a certain ideology. But there are other overriding issues, an important one being there is no remunerative price for farmers.

I did a survey in a village Keelakottai, about 15 km. from here. This village was surveyed in 1961 and resurveyed by me in 2001, and then more recently.

Here, because of ill-protected irrigation facilities and the tank remaining in a state of disrepair, the farmers cultivating paddy and sugarcane are really suffering, particularly because of import policies.

Originally, these farmers were cultivating millets. Later they moved to sugarcane and paddy but now they are badly hit.

The government seems to have no priority for repairing the tank, though an estimate of a few lakh rupees has been made. With drought conditions persisting for four years, there is immense suffering here.

Compared to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, where many farmers have committed suicide, how is the situation here? Are the distress levels comparable?

Here the distress levels are not so high, because in Tamil Nadu even in the villages, we have at least one educated person in a family, who has some job or the other and, therefore, they are able to survive.

But there are also a number of uneducated youth who are migrating in search of employment to Tirupur, Erode and even Mumbai.

What do they do in these places?

They work for a pittance; employed as clerks or in some other work. In this region, particularly in Tenkasi region, there is trafficking of girls, who are taken to Mumbai. Because of sheer poverty, girls who are as young as 12 end up in the flesh trade.

There are so many other social evils. In this region, we have a kind of `marriage scheme' where the women are taken to Tirupur for work and after two or three years of work they are paid a sum of Rs 20,000 or so which can be used for their marriage.

What do they work as?

Casual labourers. It is called `Mangalya scheme'; there are touts who organise such things.

So it is almost like bonded labour?

Oh yes, it is three years of bonded labour. The `scheme' was started about here years ago, but now it is not doing so well because even the Tirupur industries are doing badly and there is not enough work. There are so many issues on the ground... and India is certainly not shining for all these sections of society.

How important will the caste factor be in this election?

It will have relatively less importance. For instance, Mr K Krishnaswamy of the Pudiya Tamzhagam is contesting from Tenkasi which is a reserved constituency. Earlier, the Dalits were solidly behind him, but now a lot of Dalit students in my department — about 80 per cent of the history students in our university are Dalits — are saying that their entire families will not vote for him.

The sitting MP, Mr S. Murugesan, is from the AIADMK. His vote-bank comprises the Thevars, but this time the Thevars are disillusioned with him because he has not done much for the constituency. Many of them have decided to vote for the CPI candidate, Mr Appadurai.

What about self-help groups?

Many of their members are being used to make up the crowd at AIADMK meetings. We have a servant maid; she finishes her work by 9 a.m. and is then taken to the AIADMK party office and from there to different places to attend Ms Jayalalitha's public meetings.

She is the leader of an SHG. But, then, not all SHG groups function like this one. There are many genuine groups. My bank manager says they are very reliable and I can advance any amount of money to these groups. Such groups cannot be taken for a ride by the political parties.

One heard in Dindigul that because the women earn well, in many families men have stopped working and have hit the bottle. How far is that true?

Yes, that is unfortunately happening in many of the villages here too. That is the curse of the Dalit community. When the woman earns something, the husband thinks he has to take rest and lead a parasitic existence. But fortunately this is not widespread.

Almost in every election people complain about the PDS. How is it this time?

Oh yes, that is a big issue. This time around, the marginalised classes are cut up with the AIADMK and one issue pertains to the `H' stamp on the ration card, if your family income exceeds Rs 5,000.

One of my servants hails from the Adi Dravida community and is very keen that the AIADMK should be defeated. She works in the Municipal establishment and her income just crosses Rs 5,000 and she has the `H' stamp on her card. Unfortunately, the Chief Minister has antagonised almost all sections of society. I do not know on whom she is pinning her hopes.

(Response may be sent to rasheeda@thehindu.co.in

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