Scenes from Kattayantheru area in Marakkanam, the riot hit area, following the clash between the volunteers of Vanniyar Sangam and Dalits, on April 26, 2013
| Photo Credit: T. Singaravelou
In the summer of 2013, violence broke out at Marakkanam near Chennai when some Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) cadres clashed with residents of a Scheduled Caste hamlet while returning, past midnight, from the Vanniyar Sangam’s Chitra Pournami festival held in Mamallapuram.The police had to open fire in the air. Houses were set on fire and in the days following the violence, the police arrested PMK founder S Ramadoss, its then president G..K Mani, Vanniyar Sangam leader ‘Kaduvetti’ Guru and former Union Minister Anbumani. This had triggered further violence for several days in many parts of Tamil Nadu.When the issue was raised in the Legislative Assembly, then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said the Marakkanam-type incidents took place because the High Court granted permissions to hold rallies, conferences and festivals with some conditions, “without taking into account the background and antecedents of the organisations seeking permission.” She lamented that when police denied permission, the organisers would approach the court with an undertaking to adhere to police instructions.
