Dalit domestic help assault case: TN BJP leader writes to SC commission

Chennai, Jan 21 (IANS) BJP's state secretary in Tamil Nadu, Vinoj P. Selvam has written a letter to the Chairman of the National Commission of Scheduled Castes (NCSC) demanding an investigation into the ill-treatment meted out to an 18-year-old Dalit domestic help by the family of DMK legislator Karunanithi.

Vinoj in the letter to NCSC chairman Arun Halder narrated the trauma faced by the Dalit girl, who had complained that she was physically assaulted and suffered mental trauma.

The BJP leader in the letter stated that the girl had complained that since she started working at DMK MLA Karunanithi’s son, Anto Mathiyappans' place in Tiruvanmiyoor in Chennai, she did not receive her salary.

She also said that Mathiyappan’s wife Merlyn had physically assaulted her and forced her to work for more than 16 hours a day.

The girl, according to the BJP leader, said that Merlyn used to tell her that she won’t be able to do anything as they were a very powerful political family.

Vinoj P. Selvam in his complaint said that while the Tamil Nadu Police had registered a case one and half days after the girl lodged her complaint , he feared that nothing would happen as the DMK MLA would wield his influence.

Selvam said that even after the Dalit girl lodged the complaint and the police registering a case for physical assault and verbal abuse, the perpetrators were yet to be arrested.

The BJP leader in his complaint requested the NCSC to inquire into the matter and to conduct a counselling on her, and also said that there could be high-level interventions on the part of the MLA's family using their political clout to misdirect the girl.