Salem: The immediate family members of deceased Gandhian and anti-liquor crusader, Sasi Perumal, were arrested for staging a hunger strike demanding the closure of all Tasmac liquor outlets in the state.
S. Vivek, Sasi Perumal’s eldest son and his 14-year-old daughter Kaviyarasi, besides members of the Tamil Nadu People’s Right Movements, were arrested as they went on a fast unto death in front of the Gandhi statue near the Salem old bus stand. Vivek fainted while being shifted from one marriage hall to another and was rushed to the GH for treatment.
The Gandhian’s wife Magizham and son Navaneethakrishnan staged a dharna outside the collectorate urging the collector to receive her petition, demanding immediate shutdown of liquor shops near schools, colleges and religious places. Finally, the collector’s secretary received the petition. In the petition, she said that she would not receive the body of her husband unless the government closed down liquor shops located near educational institutions and places of worship like temples.
The anti-liqour movement gained momentum as people and leaders of political parties including DMDK leader Vijayakanth and the state Congress president EVKS Elangovan came to express their grief over Sasi Perumal’s death and offered their full-fledged support to the anti-liquor movement. Protests broke out in various parts of Salem in support of the demand for closure of all liquor shops in Tamil Nadu.
The Salem Parliamentary Youth Congress president Mohan Kumaramangalam also joined the family members in their fast in front of the Gandhi statue. They were also arrested by the police and taken to their native village of Illampillai. However, on the way, Magizham said that she would go to her native place only with her family members and got off the police vehicle and staged a dharna on the Sivadhapuram road.
There was high drama near the old bus stand in Salem as the Democratic Youth Federation of India cadres led by district president Praveen Kumar marched from Anna Park and staged a protest at the old bus terminal. The police tried to clear the protesters.
As the protesters refused to leave, the police bodily lifted them onto the police van, leading to a melee. As the DYFI volunteers were being taken to a marriage hall near the bus stand where the Gandhian’s son Vivek was kept, the police tried to shift Vivek to another place. But he fainted, prompting the cops to rush him to a nearby private hospital.
The state Congress chief Elangovan, who was headed for Illampillai to express his condolence to the family members, saw the Gandhian’s widow protesting on the road and joined her in the dharna. After two hours of protest, the kin were brought to Sivadhapuram and they called off the stir.
Talking to the media, Elangovan said that former Congress Chief Minister had successfully implemented Prohibition. The AIADMK regime should close all liquor shops in the state in phases.
TNCRO condemns arrest of Sasi Perumal’s daughter
The Tamil Nadu Child Rights Observatory (TNCRO) on Sunday condemned the police action of arresting Kaviyarasi, minor daughter of late Sasi Perumal, the anti liquor activist, in Salem. According to TNCRO, it is illegal as per Juvenile justice Act 2000 to handle children even if they are arrested for actions in conflict with law by policemen in uniform.
Only Special Juvenile Police Unit or the Child Welfare Officer designated in the police station at the ranking above a sub inspector should handle such children in plainclothes. Here the 14-year-old daughter of Sasi Perumal was made to sign the register the police records while police personnel in uniform were seen around.
