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Saturday, Nov 03, 2007
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Saturday, Nov 03, 2007 ePaper |
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Tamil Nadu
Ten persons arrested Statue in Tahsildar’s custody MADURAI: Removal of a statue of freedom fighter and Dalit hero Veeran Sundaralingam by the police sparked violent protests in Madurai district on Friday. At least 45 vehicles, including 22 State-owned buses, were damaged when an irate mob indulged in stone throwing. Hundreds of protesters blocked the National Highway (45-B) demanding immediate re-installation of the statue. One Sub-Inspector of Police was injured. According to police sources, a group of local residents installed the statue at the Mandela Nagar junction around 5.45 a.m. without obtaining permission. A team of the district police that was deployed in Perungudi rushed to the spot and removed the statue. Ten persons were taken into custody for violating prohibitory orders. The statue was kept in the custody of the Tahsildar. Condemning police action, a large number of people blocked traffic on the busy Ring Road for a few hours. Stranded vehicles, including those of State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), bore the brunt of the attack. Sub-Inspector Natarajan who tried to prevent a mob that tried to block traffic on the Avaniapuram-Airport Road sustained a head injury when stones were thrown at him. He was admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital where his condition was said to be stable. Posters were pasted in the locality opposing the move to name the Madurai airport after ‘Pasumpon’ Muthuramalinga Thevar. Agitators wanted the police to explain why the statue of Veeran Sundaralingam was removed when Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had unveiled the statue of Maruthu Pandiar at Teppakulam in Madurai and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa laid the foundation stone for a 100-foot statue of Muthuramalinga Thevar at Poovanthi in Sivaganga district. Madurai Superintendent of Police T.S. Anbu said that armed police personnel were deployed at vulnerable places. “No permission was sought to install the statue. Special teams have been formed to apprehend the accused. Preventive arrests will also be made,” he told The Hindu. The Thevar centenary, celebrated as a government function on October 30, was widely perceived by Dalit activists as an assertion of Thevar supremacy in the caste hierarchy. The centenary celebrations, in which leaders of several political parties took part, resulted in the rise of caste tensions in the southern districts. A mob attacked Congress leader M. Krishnasswamy who was travelling to attend the Thevar jayanthi. A Dalit school teacher died of injuries in an apparent casteist attack during the celebrations. On October 23, a “disrespectful” act on the statue of B.R. Ambedkar in Avaniapuram in Madurai led to protests that resulted in the damage of 19 State Transport Corporation buses.
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