p. Krishnaveni, an 81-year-old retired school teacher, remembers how her village in Theni District, Tamil Nadu was stratified. Each caste has its own street. She said the scheduled caste (SC) was far from the village and each street near the SC was named after a specific SC seed.
Similarly, Sarojini Devi, a home maker in the late sixties, came from another village in the same area, recalling the 13 SC families living far from the main village. She said the status of a residence in which the law uses caste names is illegal, and that the residence of SC is called a “colonial.”
Now, caste Hindus may have to stop using the term. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced on Tuesday that measures will be taken from official government documents and public use from Tamil Nadu’s context to remove caste-coded words. The term “colonial” has become a slander for the communities in which SCS lives, and it is still used in most villages across the state. While other castes live on the main streets of the village, SCS live in “colonies” far away from them.
Dalit activists say that while the intention may be commendable, the government cannot effectively enforce its policy of removing caste indicators. “Earlier, ‘colonies’ were associated with colonial rule and used in a derogatory sense to describe the exploitation of backward or weak people,” said Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and Villupuram MP. “After independence, the term was used to determine the residence of the Dalits, indirectly marking these settlements as settlements of enslaved people.” Mr. Ravikumar said that although his party welcomed Mr. Stalin’s announcement, it was important to see what the government order said.
Author and historian Stalin Rajangam said the word “colonial” has different meanings in urban and rural areas. “In cities, colonies are a part of modernity. There is, for instance, an Electricity Board colony. In the rural context, colonies are exclusively used to refer to Dalit neighborhoods. There is confusion over whether the word itself is problematic. I see this move as a continuation of Dravidian identity politics — because it takes the easy way out without making any serious effort to change the separation of ‘Ooru and ‘Cheri’ (non-Dalit and Dalit neighbor),” he said. Mr Rajangam also wondered whether community names named after dominant and privileged castes (such as Naidupuram) would be renamed. “I don’t object to this announcement, but I don’t think it’s an important step to eliminate caste,” he said.
Mr Ravikumar recalled that in 1978, the AIADMK government led by its founder and chief minister MG Ramachandran launched an effort to remove the names and outstanding figures of the leaders from the street boards named after them from Periyar’s century-old birth celebrations. However, the policy has never been implemented effectively.
In August 2021, Mr. Ravi Kumar wrote a letter to Mr. Stalin urging him to strengthen the government order issued in 1978. He added that when caste names are not removed from street names and become part of official documents such as Aadhaar and Pastports, they help people easily determine people’s caste identities.
During the Delavi era, SCS achieved economic growth and made great progress in education, but continued to face violence and discrimination from caste Hindus. Tamil Nadu recorded an increase in crimes against SC and a pre-ordered tribe between 2000 and 2022. In this case, the removal of the term “colonial” can only be seen with a positive eye only if the government resolves other urgent requirements, such as enacting laws to protect couples within the scope of violence. In addition to plastic surgery attempts, it is crucial that the government strives to solve the myriad problems of today’s SCS.
udhav.naig@thehindu.co.in; aravind.b@thehindu.co.in
publishing – April 30, 2025 01:52 AM IST
