Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi | |
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| Abbreviation | VCK |
| President | Thol. Thirumavalavan |
| General Secretary | D. Ravikumar |
| Founder | M. Malalchami, D. Amukurajah |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Split from | Dalit Panthers[1] |
| Ideology | Social Justice Ambedkarism[2] Marxism[2] Secularism Tamil nationalism Dravidianism |
| Political position | Left-wing[3] |
| Colours | Blue Red |
| ECI Status | State Party |
| Alliance |
Former Alliances
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| Seats in Rajya Sabha | 0 / 245 |
| Seats in Lok Sabha | 2 / 543 |
| Seats in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly | 4 / 234 [4] |
| Election symbol | |
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| Party flag | |
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Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (transl. Liberation Panther Party;abbr.VCK), formerly known as theDalit Panthers of India or theDalit Panthers Iyyakkam (transl. Dalit Panthers Movement;abbr.DPI), is an Indiansocial movement and political party that seeks to combat caste baseddiscrimination, active in the state ofTamil Nadu.[5] The party also has a strong emphasis onTamil nationalism.[6][7] Its chairman isThol. Thirumavalavan, a lawyer fromChennai, and its general secretary is the writerRavikumar.[8][9][10]
TheDalit Panthers Iyyakkam was formed in 1982 inMadurai,Tamil Nadu.[11][5] The group was found to seek protection of Dalits fromcaste-related violence.[12] Founded by a group of disaffectedDalits under the leadership of M. Malalchami,[11] it emerged as a loosely organised group of local activists seeking assistance and protection through the association of a larger movement.[5] The movement was inspired by theDalit Panthers of India, a social movement which itself had formed earlier in the 1970s inMaharashtra which itself was inspired by theBlack Panther Party, a socialist movement that sought to combat racial discrimination in theUnited States.[13][14]
In 1989, after the death of the founder of Dalit Panthers of India (DPI), Thirumavalavan became its leader. In the 1990s the party grew by highlightingdiscrimination andcaste-basedviolence. In 1999, VCK contested elections for the first time.[12]
VCK was allotted different election symbols in every election. In 2014, Madras HC ordered the Election Commission of India to consider VCK's request forstar as their election symbol.[15]
The main aim of the party is to abolish the differences amongTamil people and to lift up thesocio-economically weaker sections of society. The party supported the freedom movement of Tamil people inTamil Eelam, as well as the security of Tamil people living abroad. The party also declared thatMahinda Rajapaksa should be charged withwar crimes for the alleged assassination of thousands of innocent Tamil people during war against theLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In theParliament of India in May 2012, Thirumavalavan joined other leaders and raised issue of theAmbedkar cartoon, sparking a controversy inParliament.[16][17]
Ahead of the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Thirumavalavan stated his willingness to form a coalition with any party apart from the DMK, AIADMK,BJP and PMK.[18]
VCK formedTamil Eelam Supporters Organization (TESO) along with DMK, DK, NTK, and demonstrated protests demanding credential probe into war time crimes against the Sri Lankan government during the war between theTamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government.[19][20][21] Thousands of innocent Tamil people were brutally tortured and murdered during the war.[22] Many countries raised complaints against the Sri Lankan government in the United Nations International Criminal Court of Justice. VCK demanded that former Sri Lankan President Rajapakse should be charged with war crimes.[23][24] Many of its party men were arrested by Tamil Nadu police for creating public discomfort during protests against the Sri Lankan government. The party is heavily criticised for supporting LTTE and its leaderPrabakaran, since LTTE is banned in India.
VCK is accused of promotingTamil nationalism and supporting the banned groupLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.[25][26][27][28][29][30] Although major Tamil political parties DMK and ADMK both are accused of indirectly supporting LTTE, VCK is accused of supporting LTTE leader openly in its party posters. The LTTE was involved in theassassination of former Indian prime ministerRajiv Gandhi. VCK Party has demanded the premature release of the assassination convicts along with major Tamil parties like NTK, MDMK, PMK, SMK, AIADMK and DMK. It has also celebrated the birth day of slain LTTE leader Prabakaran along with other Tamil parties.[31]
In April 2019, members of theRSS affiliated,Hindutva groupHindu Munnani broke anearthen pot, theelection symbol ofVCK at the village ofPonparappi,Ariyalur block,Tiruchi.[32] The incident happened in front of the Panchayat Office where the Tamil Nadu general election polling was going on which lead to a quarrel. This is said to have resulted a retaliatory violence against theDalits.The Hindu reported a mob of100 engaged in violence against the Dalits and at least 20 tiled houses which had the VCK symbol were totally damaged. A. Kathir of Evidence, a rights organisation based inMadurai claimed 13 people were admitted at hospitals, 25 houses were fully damaged and 115 houses were damaged.Tirumavalavan after visiting the area, told the media that thePMK andHindu Munnani were responsible for the violence.[33]
In December 2022, VCK protested thesaffronisation of DrB.R. Ambedkar, the architect of thesecularIndian Constitution.[34]
| Year | Seats won | Percentage of votes | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 0 / 2 | - | AsTamil Maanila Congress candidates |
| 2004 | 0 / 8 | - | AsJanata Dal (United) candidates |
| 2009 | 1 / 2 | 0.18% | |
| 2014 | 0 / 2 | 0.11% | |
| 2019 | 2 / 2 | 0.8% | Ravikumar (writer) contested inDravida Munnetra Kazhagam symbol |
| 2024 | 2 / 2 | 2.25% |
| Election Year | Election | Votes polled | Won | Change of Seats | Alliance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 13th Assembly | 426,321 | 2 / 9 |  2 | ADMK + | Won |
| 2011 | 14th Assembly | 555,965 | 0 / 10 |  2 | DMK + | Lost |
| 2016 | 15th Assembly | 331,849 | 0 / 25 | No Change | DMDK+ | Lost |
| 2021 | 16th Assembly | 457,763 | 4 / 6 | 4 | DMK + | Won |
Agreed that they have taken progressive stand on many issues and have spoken in support of Ambedkarism, Marxism, and in support of Eelam Tamils, which are agreeable to us.
He said that Thirumavalavan, who strongly adheres to leftist ideologies rooted in Tamil history
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