Erasure and Resistance in the Memory of the Keezhvenmani Massacre

The Keezhvenmani massacre of 1968 stands as a tragic testament to the brutal intersection of caste and class oppression in rural Tamil Nadu, where 44 Dalit agricultural labourers, including children, were burned alive during a wage protest. This paper explores the dual processes of erasure and resistance surrounding the massacre’s memory, focusing on how mainstream media and official narratives systematically silenced or diluted the caste-based nature of the violence. Early reportage framed the incident as a mere labour dispute or law-and-order issue, omitting crucial caste dimensions and thus perpetuating the invisibility of Dalit suffering. In contrast, this study highlights how oral histories, folk songs, and street theatre have preserved the subaltern voices of survivors and their communities, embodying a form of Dalit aesthetics that reclaims memory through storytelling and cultural expression. By analyzing archival news coverage alongside these grassroots narratives, the paper demonstrates how the Keezhvenmani tragedy was erased from dominant public consciousness but survived and continues to inspire resistance through cultural memory. This case study underscores the importance of recognizing oral histories and artistic expression as powerful tools for marginalized communities to contest erasure and assert their identity and agency. Ultimately, the paper argues that the Keezhvenmani massacre is not only a historical event but also a living memory that challenges us to confront ongoing caste injustices and the politics of representation in media and culture.