The uses of footwear are manifold. They can safeguard one’s feet, can enhance the outfit and as per some police stations, they can be a tool for discriminating against people. When TNIE recently visited a police station in Thanjavur district, we noticed an officer asking two women and a man, all there for an investigation, to remove their footwear before stepping inside.
They stood barefoot while they were talking to the inspector for more than 20 minutes. However, many others were allowed to enter the station with chappals. When TNIE approached the women to enquire why they were treated this way, they were hesitant to talk about it. Though the reason behind the no-chappal rule for certain people remains mysterious, we believe our readers can connect the dots. After all, reports of discrimination are not new in our society.
A vote case
If your votes got stolen in Tirunelveli, along with a tendered vote an FIR might be awaiting you! When a Tamil satellite news channel’s correspondent tried to vote during the LS polls at Tirunelveli, he found that his vote had already been cast by someone else. As he questioned the booth staff about the issue, an argument broke out between them, following which he was allowed to cast a ‘tendered vote’.
However, as he filed a police complaint against the polling staff regarding the stolen vote, they hit back with a plaint against the journalist, saying he tried to stop the polling staff from performing their duties. When his complaint hadn’t been acted upon yet, all of a sudden, the Manur police asked him to appear for an inquiry on Saturday in the case filed by the polling staff and instructed him to get ready sureties to avoid arrest. As the journalists, attached to the Nellai Press Club, escalated the matter to the senior police officers, the action against the correspondent was temporarily dropped. When will the election staff be questioned on the journalist’s plaint though?
Power threat
If someone suspects whether Tangedco’s working style is inspired by North Korean dictators, they can’t be blamed. At least not after the recent feud between the corporation and a customer on ‘X’. On July 15, while replying to a person who used derisive language questioning the delay in commencing the monthly billing, Tangedco threatened ‘kin punishment’. “We ask you treat our staff the same manner you expect to be treated.
Indecent, threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour will not be tolerated. We may refuse service to anyone disrespectful towards our staff,” Tangedco said and tagged the handles of TN police and cyber police.
Though a good number of people slammed the man for his foul language, others asked how a government department could openly threaten him, especially when issues with electricity supply can affect his whole household/ institution he might be running. Is Tangedco in North Korea to punish a family for the mistake of one?
(Contributed by Subashini Vijayakumar, Thinakaran Rajamani, T Muruganandham; compiled by Sneha Joseph)