1957 Ramnad riots

The Ramnad riots were a series of politically motivated violent clashes that occurred between July and September 1957 in the Ramnad district, in southern Tamil Nadu, India. Congress Reformist Committee was formed just one month before the 1957 elections to the Lok Sabha and the Madras state legislative assembly.Soon CRC began cooperation with the All India Forward Bloc of U. Muthuramalingam Thevar. The CRC-AIFB combine contested 59 seats in the assembly election (54 candidates from CRC, 5 candidates from AIFB.There was also an informal understanding with the Communist Party of India, which did not oppose the CRC in some constituencies.In the 1957 general elections All India Forward Bloc stalwart U. Muthuramalingam Thevar had contested both the Aruppukottai parliamentary seat as well as the Mudukulathur seat in the legislative assembly of the Madras Stateas he did in 1952. He had won in both cases, defeating the Congress candidates. .The CRC-AIFB combine formulated a 12-point election manifesto. The CRC-AIFB alliance emerged as the major opposition alliance in these elections, but could not defeat the Congress government. CRC won 14 seats and AIFB three. Half of the seats won were from the Ramnad and Madurai districts. Following the election, a joint 'CRC opposition' group was formed in the legislative assembly. This was done to counter the bid of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (which had 16 seats) to hold the post of leader of opposition. Soon five independent assembly members joined the CRC opposition group.V.K. Ramaswamy Mudaliar was elected leader of the 'CRC opposition. After the election Thevar chose to retain his parliamentary seat, and a bye-election was called for the Mudukulathur assembly constituency.Then CM Kamaraj Nadar planned to defeat Forward Bloc. He discussed with then Inspector General of Police Devasagaya Nadar and they appointed Arul Nadar as superintendent of police for Ramnad district. Also they appointed many Sub Inspector of police from nadar community throughout Ramnad District.

The bye-election was held on July 1. Kamaraj nadar advised police department not to action on fake currency group from sivakasi. Also he handed over govt land to his community with lower cost. He appointed many nadars in education dept , police department and others. Thevar highlighted how kamaraj nadar supporting his community indirectly also how farmer community was cheated by trading people. When the results were released on July 4, the situation in the area was tense. A large quantity of armed police were present.The Forward Bloc candidate D.V. Sasivarna Thevar won it. Kamaraj Nadar couldn't tolerate Forward Bloc victory.With support of police they imported weapons from sivakasi factory and supplied to pro congress Dalits. Gradually incidents of violent clashes between Thevars (who generally supported the Forward Bloc) and pro-Congress Dalits began to occur. Initially these clashes were limited to a handful of villages, but after some time the violence had spread throughout the constituency. A ‘peace conference’ was held on September 10. It was attended by U. Muthuramalingam Thevar (who had returned the preceding day from Delhi), D.V. Sasivarna Thevar and Velu (a Dalit assembly member) from the Forward Bloc, a delegation of six Dalits from the Congress and Veluchamy Nadar (a representative from the Nadar caste). The conference was convened by the Ramnad district collector.

September 10. The peace meeting was held in a nearby village called Mudukulathur. Initially all delegates including Emmanuel sekaran and district collector appealed to Thevar to campaign for peace in all riot affected area so agreed for this but veluchamy Nadar didn't agree.The conference delegates to resolve that harmony between the three communities was again restored. finally they decided to give statements independently. Here doubt arises why the representative from nadar community participated in the peace conference and objected all delegates opinion.

On September 11 Emmanuel Sekaran, the leader of the Dalit/Congress delegation at the peace conference, was murdered in Paramakudi. He was murdered when he was Just 33. He was Married to Amirtham Grace and he had four female children.Their Names are: Mary Vasantha Rani, Poppin Vijaya Rani, Sundarai Prabha Rani, Jansi Rani.

On September 13 clashes erupted at Arumkulam. 5 Dalits and 3 Thevars were killed, and their bodies were thrown unto fire. 2 of the Thevars and 1 of the Dalits were women.

On September 14 a group of armed police entered the village of Kulathooval in order to arrest suspects in the Emmanuel murder case. 5 Thevars were killed in police firing. According to Forward Bloc sources the five were blindfolded and executed. A police inquiry commission later refuted that perception.

On September 16 clashes erupted in villages like Veerambal, Arumbakkan, Irulandapatti and Sandakottai. In the two latter places 60 Dalits, including one woman, were killed.

On the same day the Thevar village of Ilanchambol was attacked by a Dalit mob. The village had been deserted by the police two days earlier. Five Thevars were killed in the attack. The attack was interrupted as Thevars from the neighbouring village of Keelapanayur arrived, driving of the Dalits and killing two.

On September 17 police opened fire on Forward Bloc cadres in the village of Keeranthai. Five of the killed were Thevars and one was a Dalit.

On September 18 Dalit houses were torched in Thandikudi.

On September 19 hundreds of houses, belonging to both Thevars and Dalits, were torched in the villages of Piramanur, Vadi, Tiruppuvanam, Nallur and Tiruppachatti. On the following day police opened fire on a Thevar mob, but with no casualties.

On September 20 police firing killed 5 Thevars, 4 in Uluthumadi and 1 in Malavavanenthall. In Veerambal, Thevars stormed a church were a group of Dalits had sought refuge. 2 Dalits were killed and 32 injured.

On September 21 clashes occurred in some places. But from the following day onwards there were no reported incidents.

On September 28-29, 1957 CRC held a state conference and reconstituted itself as the Indian National Democratic Congress. Notably, U. Muthuralingam Thevar,one of the inaugural speakers of the event, was arrested just after having delivered his speech.