The CPI (M) State executive committee on Saturday criticised the detention of party MP Brinda Karat while on here way to Uthapuram in Madurai district.
In a statement here, party secretary N. Varadarajan said that it was an anti-democratic act to prohibit the CPI (M) leader from even talking to the residents of the village. The State government had not fulfilled some of the demands of the Dalits of Uthapuram even after several agitations against acts of untouchability.
The Dalits could not use the new road laid by the government. The police had not taken any action. The government was refusing to construct a bus shelter at Uthapuram even after T.K. Rangarajan had made the allocation from MP’s fund. Even as this was the case, the police had detained Ms. Karat.
The government should conduct an enquiry and take action against the police personnel concerned, he said.
Brinda Karat detained at Tirupparankundram on her way to Uthapuram
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member and MP Brinda Karat was detained for nearly two hours by the Madurai rural police on Saturday when she was travelling to Uthapuram, a village that has witnessed discrimination against Dalits.
While Deputy Inspector-General of Police K. Balasubramanian claimed that Ms. Karat was not arrested, the CPI (M) leader said that the police had registered a case against her and ten others, including State general secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, U. Vasuki.
Ms. Vasuki said that the cases were registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including unlawful assembly. The DIG said the detention of Ms. Karat and others was preventive in nature. They were allowed to proceed with police security after the CPI (M) members clarified that it was a private visit and Ms. Karat would not address any public meeting.
Even as the convoy of Ms. Karat left Circuit House here, Superintendent of Police M. Manohar, along with the striking force, joined it on the way.
A team of police led by Tirumangalam Deputy Superintendent of Police M. Vijayaregunathan intercepted the vehicles on the Tirupparankundram highway. The police told Ms. Karat that she was not permitted to go to Uthapuram following a law and order problem. Ms. Karat was originally scheduled to address the Dalits of the village.
After the police denied permission for the meeting, Ms. Karat made a private visit to the residence of Ponniah, a Dalit in Uthapuram. In her informal interaction with the Dalits of the village, Ms. Karat promised that her party would continue to support their cause and fight for their rights and get due compensation for the victims of discrimination.
Earlier, at Tirupparankundram, after an altercation, the police said that Ms. Karat, along with the others, was being arrested. They were taken to the police station at around 7.30 a.m.
Later, Ms. Karat told reporters that even after an hour’s detention, the police were unable to tell her the sections under which she had been arrested and the reasons for it. “The police would have let me go to Uthapuram if I were to visit the criminals over there. Since I was going to visit the victims of untouchability, I was denied permission.”
Charging the State government with preventing her from going to Uthapuram, she said the government was guilty of segregating Dalits and others in the village.
“Instead of upholding the law, it wants to suppress the issue of civil rights. It has gone to the absurd extent of detaining us instead of those who were creating the law and order problem.” The State government had failed to protect the Dalits.
Calling it “strange,” Ms. Karat said, “First, I was detained on false charge (of preventing the police from discharging their duty). And after arresting me I am allowed to go to Uthapuram without any bail.” She said the police action lacked a reason.
Ms. Vasuki said the police had filed a first information report charging them under Sections 147, 148, 341, 188 of IPC and Section 30 (2) of the Police Act. This was denied by the DIG.
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