Chennai, Aug 6 (IANS) Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) President Thol Thirumavalavan, Communist Party of India-Marxist state Secretary P. Shanmugam, and Communist Party of India (CPI) state Secretary R. Mutharasan on Wednesday submitted a joint representation to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, pressing for the enactment of a special law to curb caste killings and ensure protection for inter-caste and inter-faith couples in Tamil Nadu.

The delegation met Stalin at his residence in Chennai, where they also enquired about his health following his recent hospitalisation and week-long stay in a city hospital. The Chief Minister was discharged only a few days ago.

In their detailed memorandum, the leaders expressed concern over the recurring incidents of violence and murders involving inter-caste and inter-faith couples in the state.

They said such attacks highlighted the urgent need for targeted legislation to address caste killings, going beyond the scope of general criminal provisions.

“Hundreds of lives have been lost to caste-based violence in Tamil Nadu over the past decade. These are not isolated crimes committed solely by individuals or families, but often the outcome of social pressure, intimidation from dominant caste groups, extra-legal ‘katta panchayats’ (kangaroo courts), and entrenched notions of caste purity and family honour,” the representation said.

They pointed out that in most cases, these killings were booked merely as murders under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code or Section 101 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, without acknowledging the caste-based motivation and coercion behind the crime.

Citing reports and recommendations from rights agencies, as well as private member bills introduced in Parliament and the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the leaders also referred to similar laws passed in states like Rajasthan and Haryana, which recognise honour killings as a distinct and aggravated offence.

They urged the Chief Minister to take immediate steps to draft and pass a state-specific law that would impose stringent penalties on offenders, dismantle extra-legal caste forums, and establish protection mechanisms for couples facing threats.

The leaders said such a law would send a strong message against caste discrimination, reaffirm Tamil Nadu’s legacy as a State committed to social justice, and safeguard the constitutional rights of citizens to choose their partners freely, irrespective of caste or religion.

–IANS

aal/vd