Tamil Nadu student S.Anitha was denied a medical seat despite scoring high marks in Class XII due to NEET(National Eligibility cum Entrance Test)exam. Tamil Nadu education system is different as they consider the overall academic performance of a student for admissions into higher studies. Depressed with the developments she committed suicide. This has led to agitations across Tamil Nadu protesting the NEET exam. As the media houses started referring Anitha as Dalit girl, some Tamilians objected it saying that she should be referred as Tamil girl because entire Tamil Nadu is opposing NEET exam.
In a recent press meet condoling the death of Anitha and protesting the NEET exam, several Kollywood celebrities attended. Director Ameer expressed his opinion that Anitha should be referred as a Tamil girl rather than a Dalit girl. Pa Ranjith who was present at the press meet got angry with his remarks and said that "We are living as Dalits even now. Villages still have separate spaces for Dalits. I still live in a cheri(similar to a slum). Show me a village that doesn't have this."
Ameer tried to convince Pa Ranjith by saying caste discrimination is a reality but some of them have gone past it.. and we should not look at the issue with the same perspective. Then Ranjith replied "No, we haven't.. we have not gone past it."
He continued "This is a 2000 year rage. You all have to agree with this. How long are you going to be in denial? For how long are you will keep saying..Tamil.. Tamil without accepting the ground realities? Every street has a caste. There are so many castes. Tamilians are divided by caste. Accept it. Tamilians are divided by caste."
Ameer agreed that there is truth in what Pa Ranjith said later. Pa Ranjith concluded his talk by saying that "I would like to see this society which is divided by castes to have no castes at all."
In a recent press meet condoling the death of Anitha and protesting the NEET exam, several Kollywood celebrities attended. Director Ameer expressed his opinion that Anitha should be referred as a Tamil girl rather than a Dalit girl. Pa Ranjith who was present at the press meet got angry with his remarks and said that "We are living as Dalits even now. Villages still have separate spaces for Dalits. I still live in a cheri(similar to a slum). Show me a village that doesn't have this."
Ameer tried to convince Pa Ranjith by saying caste discrimination is a reality but some of them have gone past it.. and we should not look at the issue with the same perspective. Then Ranjith replied "No, we haven't.. we have not gone past it."
He continued "This is a 2000 year rage. You all have to agree with this. How long are you going to be in denial? For how long are you will keep saying..Tamil.. Tamil without accepting the ground realities? Every street has a caste. There are so many castes. Tamilians are divided by caste. Accept it. Tamilians are divided by caste."
Ameer agreed that there is truth in what Pa Ranjith said later. Pa Ranjith concluded his talk by saying that "I would like to see this society which is divided by castes to have no castes at all."