Parties, organisations want new wall demolished

Various pro-Dalit political parties and organisations have called for the demolition of the new wall at A.D. Colony at Nadur near Mettupalayam. The new wall has come up in the place of an old one that collapsed on December 2 last year, killing 17 persons.

The parties and organisations under the banner Dravidar Panpadu Koottiyakkam staged demonstrations and road blockade at Mettupalayam town on Wednesday on the first anniversary of the wall collapse. They raised slogans against the State Government and the police, accusing them of not ensuring justice to the victims of the wall collapse.

N. Panneerselvam of Social Justice Party said the construction of the new wall was not acceptable. “We have planned to petition the Mettupalayam Municipality and the Town Planning Authority [asking] how the permission was granted for the construction of the new wall within a year of the tragedy”, he said.

Demanding the demolition of the new wall, Venmani of Dravidar Tamilar Katchi alleged that the police failed to file the chargesheet in the case on time.

Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, Social Justice Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Athi Tamilar Peravai, Dravidar Tamilar Katchi, Social Democratic Party of India, Tamil Puligal Katchi, Puratchigara Ilaignar Munnani, Makkal Athikaram, May 17 Movement, Tamilar Vidiyal Katchi, Tamil Nadu Dravidar Kazhagam, Makkal Viduthalai Munnani, Dravidar Kazhagam, Anti Imperialist Movement, Dravidar Ilaignar Iyakkam, Dravida Iyakka Tamilar Peravai, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Red Star, CPI (ML) Liberation, Tamil Chiruthaigal Katchi and Samathuva Kazhagam were part of the protests.

Members of the coalition of the political parties and organisations said that the police denied them entry into A.D. Colony on Wednesday. The police detained around 460 protestors at Mettupalayam town.