Dalit activist plea to Prez for protection

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Madurai, Feb 9 (UNI) A Dalit activist has appealed to the President for protection as he apprehended threat to his life, and detention under Goondas Act after he legally challenged the appointment of a revenue official charged with the sale of 'panchami' lands at throwaway prices, as a temple trustee.

Charging the police with attempting to detain him under one pretext or the other, A R Ayyankalai said that ever since he had obtained a stay on the appointment of Tahsildar S Rajaram as a trustee of the famous Meenakshiamman Temple here, efforts were on to foist a case on him.

He had been engaged in a struggle since 1978 to retrieve 'panchami' lands, assigned to Dalits during British rule, Mr Ayyankalai claimed.

In the last three years, he had ''exposed the complicity of Mr Rajaram in the sale of prime 'panchami' lands leading to his transfer to the Civil Supplies Department and issuance of charge memo under Section 17 B of service rules in January last,' Mr Ayyankalai claimed.

After the DMK formed the government in the state, Mr Rajaram was appointed to the board of trustees of the Meenakshi temple.

Claiming Mr Rajaram had political connections, the memorandum said pursuant to this a case was foisted against him at suburban Perungudi Police Station and transferred to the city police with the 'sole intention of victimising him.' The police station had included him under the rowdies list along with one George Virumandi, 'his comrade-in-arms' in the struggle for land retrieval.

While all the other names in the list had been deleted, his name was retained with an ulterior motive, he charged.

According to him, it was a ploy to facilitate detention under the Goonda's Act.

He also alleged the tahsildar was holding out threats through unidentified persons.

Copies of the memoranda were also sent to the Chief Justice of India, Governor and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the Chief Justice of Madras High Court.

Meanwhile, the District Revenue Officer had dropped the charges listed in the memo issued to Mr Rajaram and other subordinate revenue personnel, sources said.

Hearing on the Public Interest Litigation in the temple trusteeship case is scheduled to come up before the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court next week.

UNI

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