COIMBATORE: The Negamam police on Sunday booked the functionary of a regional party for allegedly hurling casteist slurs at the Panchayat President of J Krishnapuram in the district.
The case was registered against him after Panchayat President V Saridha, a DMK functionary, lodged a complaint with Superintendent of Police Ara Arularasu on Friday.
In her complaint, Saridha stated that one P Balasubramaniam had discriminated her on the caste grounds at the panchayat office. She also mentioned that the political functionary had prevented her from discharging her duty, and hurled casteist abuses at her every time he visited the panchayat office. Further, Saridha claimed that Balasubramaniam had prevented her from writing her name on the board on office premises.
Commenting on this, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ara Arularsu said, “The man and the complainant were cadre of DMK for over 15 years. Last year, Balasubramaniam joined another party and Saridha was elected as the Panchayat President of J Krishnapuram, where her husband Veeramuthu is serving as the secretary.
"After assuming office, Saridha replaced seven panchayat workers including watermen with those who had worked there before. Following this, Balasubramaniam sought reasons for her action by filing an RTI application. Though Saridha responded to his queries, an unsatisfied Balasubramaniam picked up a fight with her in a recent panchayat meeting. This increased her animosity towards him.”
The SP further said that Veeramuthu, on Thursday, engaged in a verbal fight with Balasubramaniam at his house. “We suspect that it is a politically-motivated complaint. As Balasubramaniam has no role to play in the panchayat office, chances of him preventing and discriminating her on the ground of caste are less. More details could be revealed only after an inquiry.”
Balasubramaniam has been booked under sections 3(1)(m) (intimidates a member of an SC or ST who is a chairperson or a holder of any other office of a Panchayat), 3(1)(r) (intentionally insults with intent to humiliate a member of an SC or ST in any place of within public view) and 3(1)(s) (abuses any member of an SC/ST by caste name in any place within public view) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Cops probing
Police said they suspected the complaint could be politically motivated as the accused had no role in the office.