COIMBATORE: Though the Constitution guarantees the right to protest, the State government has branded us rowdies by opening a history sheet, say activists who have staged protests for various social causes. Ironically, many of them staged protests along with the DMK when the AIADMK was in power but still continue to be on the list of rowdies, even after the DMK captured power.
Recently, police have issued notices to a few such activists asking them to execute bonds under Section 110 of CrPC by treating them as hardcore criminals. The activists have demanded the government issue an order withdrawing 5,547 such cases filed during the AIADMK regime.
“The people listed as criminals spearheaded various struggles during the previous AIADMK regime. Police opened history sheets against such people. It is surprising we are kept on the list even after the government in the State had changed, as we had held several protests along with the DMK,” said D Prabhakaran, an activist from Elachipalayam.
A few days ago, Karumathampatti police who had registered a row of cases against him issued a notice asking him to appear before tahsildar and execute a bond under Section 110 of CrPC. K Velusamy, president of Kaniyur village panchayat who won the election on behalf of DMK, too faces similar cases.
He said, “We took part in the protests for social causes – against the opening of Tasmac shops, seeking exemption for local people near Kaniyur toll plaza, seeking bus shelter at Unjapalayam junction and demanding government compensation for families of victims of Somanur bus stand collapse – in 2017. The police opened a history sheet against me in March 2017.” He said he came to know from a police officer that his name made it to the list of rowdy elements.
