A committee established by the Tamil Nadu government to “address caste-based discrimination and violence” in educational institutions has put forth its recommendations, igniting a debate on the measures proposed. The one-man committee, led by retired Madras High Court judge Justice K. Chandru, has proposed a series of measures that disproportionately restrict Hindu traditions while remaining conspicuously silent on potential issues within other religious communities. The report was submitted to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday. The committee was formed in August 2023 after two Scheduled Caste students in Tirunelveli’s Nanguneri were assaulted by their peers over caste differences.

What happened in Nanguneri?

In August 2023, a shocking case of caste-based violence emerged from Nanguneri, Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu. A 17-year-old Class 12 student named Chinnadurai, belonging to the Scheduled Caste community, and his 14-year-old sister faced a brutal attack within the confines of their own home. The assailants were three of Chinnadurai’s schoolmates from a dominant caste.

The incident unfolded just hours after Chinnadurai had lodged a complaint with the school headmaster, detailing the persistent harassment he faced from these students. Chinnadurai had been subjected to humiliation, bullying, and coercion by the perpetrators, who forced him to procure cigarettes and snacks for them. The harassment had escalated to such an extent that Chinnadurai had stopped attending school a week before the attack.

Despite the school authorities issuing warnings to the harassers and urging Chinnadurai to resume his studies, the situation took a violent turn. On Wednesday, the accused students confronted Chinnadurai within the school premises, threatening him with dire consequences for reporting them.

Later that night, around 10:30 pm, the six accused students arrived at Chinnadurai’s residence, armed with sickles, and launched a vicious assault. In a brave attempt to shield her brother, Chinnadurai’s sister was also injured in the attack. The siblings’ cries for help alerted neighbors, who rushed to their aid, forcing the assailants to flee.

Both Chinnadurai and his sister were taken to the Nanguneri government hospital with severe bleeding wounds and were later transferred to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for further treatment.

The incident sparked outrage and criticism over the delayed response by the Nanguneri police, leading to the victim’s relatives staging a road blockade. Tragically, during the negotiations between the police and the family, a 60-year-old relative collapsed and died on the road.

The accused students were apprehended by the police and faced charges under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for their heinous actions.

What does the one-man committee recommend?

One of the most contentious recommendations is a blanket ban on wearing coloured sacred wrist threads (kalava), rings, or forehead marks (tilak) that are deemed “caste markers.” Additionally, the report recommends students should avoid using bicycles adorned with caste references or exhibiting any caste-related sentiments. The report insists on disciplinary actions for non-compliance, alongside notifying parents or guardians. It says, “Students should be prohibited from wearing any coloured wristbands, rings, or forehead marks (Tilaka). They must also refrain from coming to school on bicycles painted with reference to their caste or exhibiting any caste-related sentiments. Failure to comply with these rules must result in appropriate action being taken, in addition to advising their parents or guardians.”

However, the report does not make any similar proposals regarding religious symbols or practices associated with other faiths, such as Christianity or Islam.

This selective scrutiny has been widely criticized as a blatant attack on Hindu cultural expression and a violation of the constitutionally protected right to freely practice one’s religion.

The report further suggests strict seating arrangements based on alphabetical order, removing caste references from school names in attendance registers, and prohibiting activities like mass drills or parades that could be interpreted as promoting communal or caste-related messages. Teachers are advised against addressing students by their caste or making derogatory remarks linked to caste stereotypes.

Moreover, the committee’s recommendation to appoint an expert body to investigate allegations of “saffronisation” of education has raised concerns among Hindu organizations, who perceive it as a thinly veiled attempt to suppress Hindu cultural and religious expression in educational spaces under the guise of combating caste discrimination.

For schools, the committee proposes the removal of caste-related prefixes or suffixes in their names, applying this rule to both existing and future government schools. Private schools should be requested to eliminate such appellations, with legal actions considered for non-compliance, the committee recommended.

Regarding teachers, the report recommends periodic transfers and the implementation of guidelines to prevent the posting of dominant caste individuals in their own communities. It also calls for the assessment of teachers’ attitudes towards social justice during recruitment and mandatory orientation programs on social issues, caste discrimination, and offenses against SC/ST.

Only Hindu sacred marks, nothing on Muslims & Christians?

Notably, the report does not address similar practices among Christian or Muslim students, highlighting an inconsistency in the approach towards different religious communities. Is wearing a hijab or a cross around the neck not symbolic? The Dravidianists are very keen on drawing a deeper wedge between Hindus and portraying Hindu Dharma as the only religion that has a caste system and that it is “bad”.

The focus on Hindu practices while ignoring other religious markers, reflects a hypocritical stance by the committee and the Tamil Nadu government. It is noteworthy that the Christianisation of various religious figures in Tamil Nadu has been a consistent effort of the Dravidian ecosystem ably aided by the state government. They first stripped Sage Thiruvalluvar of his vibhuti tripundra on his forehead and his janeu, and they changed the colour of his robes from saffron to white. Then they did the same with Sage Vallalar – they removed the vibhuti from his forehead in HR&CE notifications.