The police were not taking stern action against usury menace and not registering cases against those moneylenders even if complaints were lodged against them, said members of Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) who staged a demonstration along with cadres of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in front of the Collectorate here on Tuesday.
Citing an instance, the protesters said that despite lodging a complaint with Vedasandur police Inspector on January 27, no action was taken against usury menace. The DSP also had not questioned his subordinates for the inaction. The usurers, who lent money in the range of ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 to people belonging to the Scheduled Caste communities, had collected several lakhs of rupees as interest over the years and refused to return the bonds even after the principal was paid.
Even if the victims approached the police, they offered no help. Usury menace was high in Undarpatti, Ayyampalayam, Vadamadurai and Perumpulli, the protesters said.
‘Women are abused’
Former CPI(M) MLA Balabharathi said that the SC women were harassed by the moneylenders. On many occasions, they abused them by derogatorily calling them by their caste name. It was condemnable and unfortunate that the police did nothing even after receiving complaints, she said.
TNUEF State secretary Samuel Raj, CPI(M) district secretary R. Sachidanandam, who spoke, demanded action against the usurers under Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act and punish them for abusing the Dalits.
ADSP Vellaichami held talks with the agitators and assured to take swift action against the usurers following which the demonstrators dispersed.
