Magistrate L.S. Sathyamurthy of the Judicial Magistrate Court I on Tuesday ordered issue of summon asking the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan to appear before the court on July 1, 2011 in connection with a case relating to description of Ponnar Sankar as Dalit brothers in one of his books. The court also ordered summons to the other two respondents in the petition namely Samaya Publishers – Chennai and Meena Kandasamy-translator of the book.
Advocate Kongu M. Loganathan had filed a petition before the court stating that VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan had authored a book and it had been translated into English under the title “Uproot Hindutva – Fiery Voice of the Liberation in Panthers” by Meena Kandasamy.
The petitioner stated that Ponnar Sankar is known as valiant brothers who on heroic death were worshipped as Annanmar by the Kongu Velalar Community.
There are books and films about them under the title Annanmar Varalaru and as Ponnar Sankar by former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
The book has been made into a film as well. Meanwhile, the book in English has a reference to Annanmar as Dalit brothers. This would lead to distortion of history and the misrepresentation would also cause communal hatred and ill-will among communities.
Mr. Sathyamurthy on perusal of literatures and records, found the petition to be prima facie in favour of the petitioner under sections 153 and 153 (A) (promoting communal hatred) and 505 (2) & (3) “for causing ill-will against communities by printing and circulating materials” of the Indian Penal Code.
Hence, he ordered for issuing notices to Thol Thirumavalavan and the other two respondents asking them to appear before the court on July 1.