RN Ravi was speaking on BR Ambedkar at Anna University in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, who has been in a constant tussle with the MK Stalin-led state government, today took potshots over caste-based oppression in the state with a "so much for social justice" jibe at the Dravidian ruling party, which claims to be a protector of social justice. While speaking on BR Ambedkar at Anna University in Chennai, Mr Ravi pointed to instances of crime against Dalits, and diversion of state funds away from the community's welfare programs.
"We have been talking so much about social justice. But, every other day here some atrocities against Dalits," he said. Mr Ravi was speaking at the release of Tamil versions of the books "Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery", and "Ambedkar and Modi - Reformer's ideals, performer's implementation".
The ruling DMK shot back, saying it was their government which ensured elections were held in three reserved panchayats where polls weren't held earlier, or elected chiefs were forced to resign by dominant communities.
Human faeces is being put in drinking water meant for Dalit colony, he said, referring to a case in Irayur village in central Tamil Nadu where a huge quantity of human waste was found in a 10,000-litre water tank that was supplying drinking water to the Dalit community of around 100 people.
He further said Scheduled Caste communities are being denied entry into temples. Several such cases have been reported in the state. Recently, on January 30, over 200 people from a community of Scheduled Castes, who were denied entry into a temple for around eight decades, were taken into the temple for worship by the police and district administration in the Tiruvannamalai district.
He also alleged that Dalit children are separated from others in Anganwadi centres.
Calling the response of the law enforcement and criminal justice system on crimes against Dalits "awful", RN Ravi said there was only seven percent conviction rate in cases of rape of Dalit women.
"Out of 100 rapists, 93 go scot-free, and we talk about social justice and Babasaheb," he said.
Quoting a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), he said 30 percent of the central allocation of funds meant for housing for Dalits goes unspent, and the remaining, major part, is diverted "for some other purposes".
DMK challenged the Governor's conviction rate aspersion, saying it is among the highest in the country, and it's much worse in northern states.
DMK spokesperson TKS Ilangovan said, "Tamil Nadu has better conviction rate. In north India, it's much less. Scheduled castes still don't come forward to testify. It's a challenge".
The Governor is yet to give assent to 21 bills adopted by the state assembly.
The ruling DMK, which accuses the Governor of fulfilling RSS and BJP agenda in a state where the BJP has negligible presence, had recently adopted an assembly resolution to record only the official approved speech after the Governor skipped a few parts of the speech including references to BR Ambedkar and Periyar. He had also stoked controversy by suggesting a name change for the state.
The ruling DMK had complained to the President, too, to ensure he would abide by the Constitution and the advice of the state government.
Though the Governor had toned down his attacks on the state government after that, Sunday's speech renews the tussle. Justifying his statements, the Governor had recently said, "the Constitution doesn't prohibit me from expressing my personal views".
The DMK had shot back saying "can a judge be seen dining with a criminal. The Constitution doesn't say so".