Tamil Nadu - Salem   

CPI alleges foisting of false cases on its activists

Photo: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

Venting ire: Members of Communist Party of India staging a demonstration in Salem on Monday. –

SALEM: Those who led a peaceful agitation against the opening of an IMFL outlet near village temple and school in Veeranam here are facing harassment.

Communist Party of India (CPI) alleged that Veeranam police had foisted false cases against its Ayothiapattinam Union secretary D. Kannan and 11 others who were in the forefront of the struggle against the proposed TASMAC shop at a place where a school, temple and the bus stop were located. They also participated in a road blockade agitation on Oct 20 to highlight the issue.

District CPI leaders told The Hindu that Kannan had led the agitation along with villagers against the IMFL shop. Villagers, a majority of them women, and CPI cadres met District Collector J. Chandrakumar and submitted a petition as early as September 27.

They also asked the official not to permit the outlet since it would disrupt public tranquility and also cause law and order problems.

But to the dismay of villagers, a powerful few, unmindful of their protest, had started preparations to open the shop at the disputed location itself.

Villagers sought the CPI support for a road blockade agitation at the village, which lasted for nearly two hours. Senior police and Revenue officials met the protestors and promised them that they would relocate the outlet. The opening of the shop was suspended.

But their joy remained short-lived. Attempts were resumed to reopen the shop at the same location recently to which the villagers resisted. To keep the CPI out of the public issue, it was alleged, the police had registered various cases against Kannan and 11 others for participating and leading the struggle against the IMFL outlet.

To condemn the police action and to ask the district administration not to permit the shop at the disputed location, villagers and CPI cadres staged a demonstration here on Monday.

District Secretary S Jeevanandam participated.

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