What is the media trying to do? It is not trying to whitewash the Paramakudi massacre. It is trying to tell you that it was necessary. What the police faced were a violent 'mob', and 'miscreants'. They were unreasonable 'protestors' who wouldn't 'negotiate'. They were anarchic 'agitators' whose cause was so vague that it wasn't worth mentioning.

The media is trying to tell you: how can anyone point fingers at a regime and its policing arm for trying to defend themselves against such faceless, nameless, irrational agitators?

...........................

It was clear they wished to play down the enormity of the bloodbath from the beginning.

First, they said two were killed. Then the figure became three, and five. And then six. Now they say: seven. Have you seen any pictures of any of the seven? Or were their names mentioned anywhere in the English news stories? Brahminized 'national' media which breaks news about suspects even before bombs have gone off, has been uniformly imprecise and reticent on who exactly were killed in Paramakudi on the September 11th. Two days ago, now.

What is the media trying to do? It is not trying to whitewash the Paramakudi massacre. It is trying to tell you that it was necessary. What the police faced were a violent 'mob', and 'miscreants'. They were unreasonable 'protestors' who wouldn't 'negotiate'. They were anarchic 'agitators' whose cause was so vague that it wasn't worth mentioning.

The media is trying to tell you: how can anyone point fingers at a regime and its policing arm for trying to defend themselves against such faceless, nameless, irrational agitators?

A full day after the killings, read the Hindustan Times, or NDTV, or The Times of India, or DNA, or Zee News. Do the 'agitators' remain any less nameless, faceless and inexcusable? Do you see or read about any of those who had been killed, or injured or detained? Do you hear the other side at all? Do you see the victims?

The media has still not found any facts or evidence to extenuate the 'crimes' of the agitators. It seems to be as certain about their culpability as on the day the killings happened. When the killings were happening. Even before the killings happened, as evident from the coverage of the news relating to the event in the days leading up to it. The coverage talked ominously of 'tension' in the 'caste-sensitive' region, consistently.

Expect 'tension' when the Dalits seek to gather and remember a martyr. And whenever or wherever they seek to assert themselves and claim their rights? Dalit assertion is abnormal and disruptive, but caste oppression is normalized as 'caste-sensitivity'. Over the years, mainstream discourse around Immanuel Sekaran's memorial has tried to insinuate that it is 'tension-ridden'. This has helped feed anxieties over 'security', and thereby paved the way for a militaristic response, every year, to this annual assertion of democratic rights, or more accurately, this annual assertion of the right to claim democratic rights.

How much 'tension' was created at Raj Ghat or how many shots were fired at Ram Lila maidan recently when bigots of various hues, shapes and sizes gathered there? The police were not even allowed to carry lathis, we're told. Expect peace whenever and wherever the savarnas and their upper shudra acolytes gather. Even if it is to express open and unbridled contempt for India's parliament and constitution. From the redoubtable Parivar to outfits like 'Krantikari Manuwadi Samaj Dal': the media and the self-anointed alternative media found none of them disruptive or sources of 'tension'.

Much ground was prepared before these killings. Lakhs have gathered every year in Paramakudi, on that particular day, to observe Thyagi Immanuel Sekaran's death anniversary. Over a million were expected this year. Over a million people from the most marginalized section of the country. People who found in Immanuel Sekaran's example enough inspiration and courage to stand upto the everyday denial of rights through the rest of the year. Paramakudi could only have been a source of peace for them, the 'tension' was all of the oppressors' making.

The tension was their way of restraining, isolating and severely impairing the movement towards assertion. It was the administration, it's obvious, which created tension through its efforts to make the event as tough as possible for the participants: through its efforts to find excuses for draconian restrictions on the proposed gathering by blaming a Dalit boy for alleged attempts to vitiate the atmosphere and detaining leaders who wished to participate in the event by imputing 'political' motives to them. Note how a writ petition had to be filed before the Madras High Court seeking basic facilities at the event, just a few days before the memorial day. The petitioner said: 'This happens every year due to lack of pre-planning and draconian refusal to accord permission to open food stalls and other public service centres by the respondents (Ramanathapuram Collector and Superintendent of Police)'.

'This happens every year'. Yes, the ground had been prepared for long.

This is quite clear from the Chief Minister's almost off-hand initial response defending her killer policemen.

This is also quite clear from the way the media primed itself to 'cover' the event. Check the photographs: do you notice any picture in which you could say the photographer tried to take an objective view of the terrible events unfolding before him? Is there any picture among the lot which seems to lean towards those who actually faced the bullets, empathizes with them? On the other hand, it's quite clear from most of the pictures whose side he was on. Literally, sometimes. Check also the interesting captions, implicitly endorsing the police actions against the 'mob', the 'miscreants' etc.

They've been quite clear in their methods and intentions. We have to be clear on what's justice. Justice isn't going to be served by picking on the footsoldiers, the hands that pulled the trigger. It demands the heads behind them.

PS:

CONCERNED CITIZENS AND PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT'S CONDEMN BRUTAL VIOLENCE ON DALITS IN TAMIL NADU

Demands stringent actions against the murderers of 7 Dalits in Paramakudi –

New Delhi, September 20 : On September 11, 7 Dalits were killed in brutal violence and firing by the Tamil Nadu state police, which also left many seriously injured at Paramakudi. It was an act of connivance of feudal elements in the state machinery with a rival community. While condemning this act of illegality, we are also saddened by the loss of lives caused by such reckless and arrogant actions of irresponsible police officers. Till date nothing has happened, the commission of enquiry set up is yet to submit its report and no action has been taken against the officials. We demand immediate action must be taken against IG of Police Rajesh Das, DIG of Police Sandeep Mitta, Deputy Comissioner from Chennai Adayar Senthile Vilam deputed to Paramakudi and Inspector Shiva Kumar, Paramakudi.

It is astonishing to note that a prominent Dalit leader’s (Shri. Immanuel Sekaran) annual memorial ceremony is marked regularly in the state as a militarized day. It is equally condemnable that the oppressed dalit community is often denied administrative permissions to organize gatherings on the day, since curfew and imposition of Section 144 of IPC seem routine. In this context, it is to be noted that a writ petition had been filed before the Madras High Court Bench seeking facilities such as drinking water, food stalls, medical aid, garbage bins, public information booths and special buses from various parts of the State to the memorial where nearly 15 lakh people gather every year. The petitioner had also mentioned that permission is denied to open food stalls and other public service centers by the administration, which leads to lack of planning and preparation.

Historically while looking at struggles of the Dalits to assert themselves, there have been violent clashes in where Dalits have been targeted and are at the receiving end by elements within the upper or intermediate caste groupings. The rights to access public spaces and be free from the humiliating casteist experiences have been through the constant struggle, martyrdom and assertion of Dalits. This act by the police has once again proved that the attitude towards the assertion of Dalit movements will be dealt with force ending with bloody acts.

We also condemn the murder of Palanikumar, a Dalit, on the day before Immanuel Sekaran Memorial Day by a group of caste Hindus alleging to a objectionable wall graffiti against a leader of the rival caste.

It’s very clearly evident that there have been no serious thoughts by the administration before this heinous act. Instead of having negotiations and engaging in processes to calm the agitation by the people and allow them to commemorate the death anniversary of the martyr Immanuel, the police have created even more bloodshed. This exactly is the lack of imagination and maturity of the police to deal such a grave situation.

While welcoming the judicial enquiry, in order to ascertain the facts we demand that justice be done to those killed and action taken against the police officials responsible for those. We also demand that adequate provision be made for the celebration of the Sekaran Memorial day every year so that such incidents are not repeated again in future. We do hope that the announcement by the Chief Minister of reconstituting district peace committees will lead to decrease in the caste and communal tension in the state in coming days.

Organisations
National Alliance of People's Movements
National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers
National Fishworker's Forum
Jharkhand Mines Area Coordination Committee
Him Niti Abhiyan
Matu Jan Sangathan
National Domestic Workers Union
Shahri Kamgar Mahila Sangathan
Delhi Solidarity Group

Individuals
Medha Patkar, Convener, NAPM
Banwari lal Sharma, Azadi bachaao andolan,
Sandeep Pandey, Convener NAPM
Gabriele Dietrich, Convener NAPM
Sister Celia, Convener NAPM
Chennaiah, Convener NAPM
B Rama Krishna Raju, Convener NAPM-A.P.
Raja Reddy, Convener NPPV
Dr. G Vijay Kumar Founder Member of J.V.V.
Madhuresh, National Organiser, NAPM
P.S. Ajay Kumar, Co-Convener, NAPM AP
K. Saraswathi, Co-Convener, NAPM AP
Vijayan M J, Delhi Forum
Anil Varghese, Programme for Social Action