Salem: Piyush Manush, convener of Salem Citizens’ Forum, who has been engaged in reviving and rejuvenating water bodies and transforming rocky barren lands into forests since 2010, has alleged he was brutally beaten up by prison officials after arrest on July 8 for objecting to improper construction of a flyover bridge. Brushing aside wife Monica’s pleading that he should first see a doctor about his injuries, he got busy narrating his traumatic jail stint to media persons and concerned friends calling at his Salem house, where Deccan Chronicle caught up with the diehard green campaigner. He insisted that while the jail officials hurt him brutally and tried to humiliate him by stripping him and abusing him, his own spirits remained high and he would continue to fight for clean environment and administrative accountability.
Excerpts:
Q About your allegation of brutal attack by jail officials in the prison?
After my arrest along with two associates, we were taken to the Salem central prison, where I was strip-searched and the chief warden as part of collecting personal details wanted to know my caste. I said as a Jain, I have no caste. They could enter it as open caste. Irritated, the jail warden dragged me to the superintendent of prison Senthil Kumar who slapped me hardly and I fell near the desk. When I asked why I was beaten, he rained baton blows on me. More prison staff joined in hitting him with bamboo sticks, specially on the under-foot.
This went on for 10 minutes even as I cried in pain and pleaded that I had already got health issues. The prison superintendent repeatedly slapped me and hit me, told me to stop thinking. After that, I was sent to solitary confinement and
I heard they had charged me with burning of the national flag. That was a lie as I have never shown disrespect to our flag and I am a patriot.
The Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission has already taken suo motu cognisance of assault and harassment meted out to me in jail.
Q Why do the police and state hate you so much?
Along with the community, I have stopped many mighty and the rich in their attempts to exploit people and plunder the natural resources. We have stopped mining by Vedanta and Jindal and nobody had taken on these giant corporates the way we have done in Salem. Vedanta’s plant was shut down in 2008. We have had successful action against Chemplast Sanmar which was dumping mercury into water bodies in Salem. Our campaign with local farmers, the Chennai Action Group and environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman forced them to put up a '110 crore effluent treatment plant.
Also, we have been campaigning against tree felling and asking uncomfortable questions to the district collector with regard to town and country planning. We have records to show that all the buildings, except five, have flouted norms and have not got permission under the Hill Area Conservation Act (HACA).
Regarding solid waste management in Salem city, we have exposed innumerable irregularities of the Corporation. Naturally, I have become an eye soar. I think I am targeted by the corporates and the State for working for the people.
Q Is there intolerance to democratic protest here?
We were trying to engage with an issue of public interest. They were asking me continuously, who am I to ask questions to them, to which I replied that the officer was here only for a year but I am born and brought up in Salem, I have restored lakes and water bodies, filed many PILs, what more do I need to get involved in a public issue? But they (officials) were not even ready to engage an issue with dignity, so how can I expect them treating protest with dignity?
Q How do you react to the public support to your cause, to the outcry?
The response of the people in my case is the best thing that happened. I got unprecedented support from across the country. People from all walks of life came out in support. Only such collective voice can take on the State.
Q How do you respond to your critics accusing you of money laundering, black mailing and other criminal activities?
I am ready to face any allegation in a fair trial. If I’m found guilty, I will leave Salem barefoot with my family.
Q What are your future projects?
We have taken up 5-6 water bodies for restoration. We have applied for one more. We are also trying to rejuvenate the river that flows through Salem. We are continuing our work on creating forest in the barren hillocks of Dharmapuri. This is going to be a model for farmers in afforestation and green business. We will continue fighting against the corporate and their anti-people projects.
