Chennai: Alleging police highhandedness during the Vinayaka Chathurthi visarjan (immersion) procession in Tirunelveli and during the Chathurthi celebration in Tiruchi, Hindu Munnani founder-convener Ramagopalan claimed that the police action had hurt the sentiments of the Hindus. He demanded the state government to take stern action on the police for “beating up” Munnani activists and public during the immersion procession in Tirunelveli.
Expressing dismay over the conduct of the certain police officials, Mr Ramagopalan sought the intervention of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to direct the police to withdraw the cases “foisted” on 60 persons in Tirunelveli. Also, he has urged the state government to take stern action on certain police officials for ordering baton charge and for using force during the procession in Tirunelveli resulting in hundreds of persons getting injured.
“The government should take stern action on police officials responsible for the unsavoury incident and also order the police to drop the cases filed against our cadres,” he urged and claimed the police action of preventing Hindu Munnani president Dr Arasuraja, vice-president V.P. Jayakumar and others from consoling the injured at the hospital or see those arrested, as amounting to human rights violations.
The Hindu Munnani has been involved in organising the Vinayaka Chathurthi puja and immersion procession since the last three decades. Its efforts to popularise the event throughout the state paid well with several organisations too joining the grand celebration.
Ramagopalan claimed the police had removed 30 Vinayaka idols and kept them at a marriage hall in Tiruchi. The police yielded, after the Munnani activists and public staged an agitation, he said.