COIMBATORE: The Narikuravar community members based in Thippampatti Panchayat in Pollachi Taluk alleged that one of them was barred entry into the district collector’s office on Monday for turning up in black shirt. As per their claim, police at the entrance gate prevented one of an 11-member group which had arrived to submit a petition to the collector at the weekly grievance meeting. They are residents of MGR Colony at Kollupalayam in Thippampatti Panchayat.
V Selvam, who was denied entry, said police personnel asked him to change to a shirt of another colour and reasoned that black is symbolic of protest. Speaking to TNIE, Selvam said, “As many as 20 row houses constructed about 23 years ago have got damaged and the cement mix on the roof has started wearing off. We came to the collectorate to seek the government’s help to reconstruct the damaged houses.”
Pointing to my black shirt, the police didn’t allow me inside the campus. Thereafter, I exchanged my uncle’s shirt and got an entry. My uncle stood out as he wore my shirt, he added.
An official from Race Course Police Station stated he might have been stopped to pre-empt any protest before officials.
Sometimes people wearing black shirts engage in an abrupt protest inside the grievance hall, he said. Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati said that he was not aware of the incident. He clarified that there was no such instruction prohibiting black colour dress on the campus.