Hearing a petition seeking a State function to observe September 11 as Thyagi Immanuel Sekaran Memorial Day at Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district, the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has directed the State Government to file its affidavit.
K Alagarsamy, a resident of Paramakudi, had moved the court seeking a State function as well as to declare September 11 as Caste Abolition Day. Stating that Immanuel Sekaran, a Dalit, had participated in the freedom struggle and was jailed during the Quit India Movement in 1942, petitioner said Sekaran had also worked in the Indian Army as a Havildar.
Sekaran had floated an organisation to defend the people belonging to oppressed sections. However, petitioner said, Sekaran was killed when he was just 33 years old. From the next year of his death, people from the suppressed community and political parties started thronging Paramakudi, where his body was buried, to pay homage. Even leaders from other States attended the Memorial Day function.
According to Alagarsamy, in recent years, atrocities were committed on the people attending the function and the Government also imposed heavy restrictions on the people. Pointing out that the Government was conducting Memorial Day functions for certain other leaders, he said the Government could conduct Immanuel Sekaran’s memorial day function as well to prevent the untoward incidents.
The bench issued notice to the respondents including the Home Secretary and Director General of Police and adjourned the case to September 6.