Various political parties on Sunday flayed the denial of permission by the district administration to its leaders to attend the funeral of E. Ilavarasan.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLAs K. Balabharathy (Dindigul) and P. Dilli Babu (Harur) paid floral tributes to the body of Ilavarasan and participated in the funeral.
On the sidelines of the funeral, Ms. Balabharathy said that in spite of repression against Dalits, they had maintained utmost restraint. The government, keeping that in mind, should have given permission to political leaders to participate in the funeral.
She also wanted the government to hand over to CBI the investigation into the death of Ilavarasan and violence unleashed against the Dalits in three colonies on November 7.
Ms. Bharathy also urged the government to take suitable action against the caste-based forces that had worked towards the separation of Divya from Ilavarasan.
Among those who participated in the funeral were N. Kalyanasundaram, State Convener of Bahujan Samaj Party and Sindhanai Selvan, General Secretary, Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi, besides representatives of fourteen other organisations.
Sivakami defies orders
Defying the prohibitory orders imposed by the district administration, the former IAS officer and founder of Samooga Samathuvapadai Katchi leader P. Sivakami reached the residence of Ilavarasan in Natham Colony amid tight security and paid homage.
Police took Ms. Sivakami in a jeep and left her outside Naikkankottai and she was also issued summons for violation of prohibitory orders in the district.
Earlier on Saturday, she said that “I won’t mind if the police arrest me. As a leader of Dalits, I have the right to attend it.”
She arrived in a two wheeler to Natham Colony, like a local woman, to deceive the police.
