Our History
A journey of resilience, growth, and unwavering commitment to the people.
The Beginning
The history of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi is a story of struggle.
A party that continues to fight for social justice and the rights of the oppressed people.
Historic Milestones
Formation of Dalit Panthers (DP)
A time when social injustices reached their peak. In Mumbai, Maharashtra, the anger and sense of injustice among Dalit youth led to the formation of the Dalit Panther movement by poets Namdeo Dhasal and J.V. Pawar in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra. This movement was inspired by the Black Panther movement in America. The courage, resistance, and uprising for rights of this movement created a great awakening in the minds of Indian Dalit youth.
Ideological Split
The original Dalit Panther movement in Maharashtra faced major internal ideological differences in its early years regarding Dalit rights, social equality, and political alliances. Due to these differences, a split occurred in the movement, and some including Ramdas Athawale left the movement and formed a new organization called Bharatiya Dalit Panthers (BDP).
Late 1980s - Thirumavalavan's Joining
A time when social injustices reached their peak. In Mumbai, Maharashtra, the anger and sense of injustice among Dalit youth led to the formation of the Dalit Panther movement by poets Namdeo Dhasal and J.V. Pawar in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra. This movement was inspired by the Black Panther movement in America. The courage, resistance, and uprising for rights of this movement created a great awakening in the minds of Indian Dalit youth.
Beginning of DPI/BDP in Tamil Nadu
The Dalit Panther movement (DPI) was a social justice movement that emerged in Tamil Nadu. It was jointly started by M. Malaiyachami and T. Amukuraja. This movement fought for the rights and equality of Dalits. Legally registered as Bharatiya Dalit Panthers (BDP), it created an environment for caste discrimination faced by Dalits, Dalit awakening and change, and became one of the major Dalit movements in Tamil Nadu.
Malaiyachami's Death and Thirumavalavan Elected as Next Leader of DPI
Thol. Thirumavalavan worked as an officer in the government forensic department in his early career. As he continued to speak about social issues, he quickly gained recognition as a social rights speaker. When he was working in Madurai, meeting M. Malaiyachami, a key leader of the Dalit movement, became a turning point in Thirumavalavan's life. The closeness with Malaiyachami and the experiences gained from him drew Thirumavalavan more into the Dalit rights movement. After Malaiyachami's demise, Thirumavalavan was given key responsibilities in the DPI organization. This became the beginning of his social work and political journey reaching new heights.
Formation of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)
Under Thirumavalavan's leadership, DPI was transformed into a formal political party and renamed "Viduthalai Chiruthaigal". The word "Viduthalai" (Liberation) was added due to the influence of ethnic conflicts in Sri Lanka and Tamil nationalist symbols like the Liberation Tigers (LTTE). This was necessary to gain legal status in regional politics and to combine anti-caste ideology with Tamil national identity.
Renaming to "Viduthalai Chiruthaigal" and Flag Hoisting
The Dalit Panthers movement was reborn with the new name "Viduthalai Chiruthaigal". Leader Thol. Thirumavalavan hoisted the flag with blue and red stripes and a star in the middle for the first time in Madurai. Until 1999, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal was not an electoral party but operated as a strong social-political movement. During that period, it completely ignored general elections and fully engaged in struggles to show the world caste violence, injustice, and discrimination.
Revolutionary Slogan: "Resist, Transgress, Rise Up, Strike Back"
The revolutionary slogan "Resist, Transgress, Rise Up, Strike Back" that emerged in response to the police attack on Dalit activists in Madurai in 1992 became the central identity of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal. This became a theoretical declaration to fight against traditional Manu-based politics and against caste, religious, economic, and state oppression.
Villupuram Resolution of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party
At a major public meeting held in Villupuram in 1998, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal movement made a historic decision. It was resolved that to assert the rights of Dalit people in the Legislative Assembly and Parliament, it was necessary to transform from just a social movement to a political party and participate in elections. Through this resolution, a path was opened to bring the voice of the Dalit community directly to the legislative bodies. This was the key stage where the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal movement transformed into the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party.
First Entry of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party into Electoral Arena
When Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party decided to participate in elections on August 17, its leader resigned from government service. This ensured the party's full-time political engagement. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party (VCK) faced its first general election in 1999. Leader Thol. Thirumavalavan contested from Chidambaram constituency and received 30.8% of the votes. This was higher than the Scheduled Caste (SC) population percentage (22.65%) in that constituency. Through this, VCK proved that it was not just a caste-based party but rather a broad-based anti-caste party.
First Assembly Victory
Ezhuchithamizhar Thol. Thirumavalavan, who contested the election with the support of the DMK-led alliance, won from Mangalur assembly constituency. This victory was not just an individual political advancement but a historic achievement for Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party. Through this victory, a path was opened to take the voice of the Dalit community directly to the assembly. It was recorded as a key moment marking the first official representation in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. This political advancement became a key milestone in bringing social struggle to the legislative platform.
Resignation from Assembly Membership
To keep a promise made to an alliance party, Thol. Thirumavalavan voluntarily resigned from his assembly membership. This action clearly showed his political integrity and the principle of not compromising on the fundamental ideologies of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party (VCK). This action, which emphasized that trust, commitment, and values are more important than power, confirmed VCK politics' ethics and moral stance in the public eye.
Veelacheri Resolution
This resolution was passed with the aim that VCK should grow as a complete political party. The resolution also emphasized that beyond the Dalit community, other democratic forces should be able to join and function in the party's responsibilities and decision-making centers. Through this change, VCK's political journey advanced from representative politics to coalition politics. Along with Dalit issues, an environment was created for the party to highlight various common social issues such as education, land, labor rights, language, and humanity.
First Lok Sabha Election Victory
The historic achievement of Thol. Thirumavalavan in Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency established VCK in the Indian Parliament for the first time. In the 2019 general election, VCK contested in two constituencies and won both, recording a 100% victory rate. With the support of the secular progressive alliance, it achieved decisive victories in both Chidambaram and Villupuram. These victories brought VCK's voice to the center of national politics.
Dual MP Victory
In the 2019 general election, VCK contested in two constituencies and won both, recording a 100% victory rate. With the support of the secular progressive alliance, it achieved decisive victories in both Chidambaram and Villupuram. These victories brought VCK's voice to the center of national politics.
Increase in Assembly Influence
In the 2021 assembly election, VCK won 4 out of 6 contested seats, significantly increasing its assembly influence. Following this progress, the Election Commission of India officially recognized VCK as a state party and granted permanent party status. Furthermore, the permanent symbol "Pot" (Paanai) that can be used in all future elections was also granted to the party. This further strengthened Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party's political position, performance, and public constituency identity.