Thousands of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam workers, led by party treasurer M.K. Stalin, took to the streets across Tamil Nadu on Monday and courted arrest to protest against what they called “foisting of cases” against functionaries in connection with allegations of land grabbing.
The Opposition workers defied a police ban on holding demonstrations and were taken into custody in all district headquarters in the forenoon. All those arrested were released later, police said.
Mr. Stalin, who led the agitation near the Chennai Collectorate along with North Chennai district workers, was taken into custody with about 2,000 others, including 200 women. Among those who joined him in the protest were party deputy general secretaries Parithi Ellamvazhuthi and Sargunapandian, organising secretary T.K.S. Elangovan and actor Khushboo.
In South Chennai, Mayor M. Subramaniam and Rajya Sabha MPs A. A. Jinnah and Vasanthi Stanley were among those held near Panagal Building in Saidapet.
The All India Anna Munnetra Kazhagam government has filed more than 250 cases of land grabbing. Special land grabbing cells of the police have received more than 2,500 complaints from the public alleging that they had been illegally dispossessed of their property during DMK rule.
Many cases involve DMK functionaries and their associates, leading to the party leader M. Karunanidhi dubbing them as instances of political vendetta. However, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has rejected the charge, contending that complaints were pouring from citizens across the State.
In the western region, more than 7,000 DMK members were removed by the police. Over 10, 000 volunteers were held in nine southern districts.
