Judiciary acting as mouthpiece of government: Activists

A group of environmental activists including Mugilan met the media and claimed that following the peaceful jallikattu protests in January violence was unleashed by Police on the final day and in the violence many of the protesters were injured. Police had also damaged public properties during the violence.

Retired Justice Rajeswaran commission was appointed to inquire into police excess by former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. The Commission visited the spots where the violence had taken place. The Commission had also promised that they would meet the protesters who were injured in the police violence and record their statement but it had not met even a single person injured in police excess.

Mugilan claimed that there are only 7 days left for the Commission to complete its task but it has not visited the place of incidents. Apart from that the CB-CID is carrying out unnecessary investigation when there is a Judicial Commission in place. The CB-CID inquiry is to mentally torture the protesters and to make sure that they do not participate in the future. 

Recently a group of protesters led by students and dentists was on its way to Neduvasal but it was stopped at Karur and the members were arrested. When they were taken to Court, bail was rejected and the Judge had said that in the FIR, police had mentioned that the protesters were linked to Maoists. When the protesters denied the claims, the Judge refused to accept their explanations and acted as the mouthpiece of the government, alleged Mugilan. 

Similarly another protester, Muthumari, from Avaniyapuram in Madurai, said that he too was summoned by the  CB-CID. When his wife came to know that he was called for an inquiry she attempted suicide. “Women in the families have no idea about these procedures and become mentally affected,” he said. Government just wants to make sure that they do not participate in the protests in the future, said Muthumari. 

Similarly, Rajeswari from Karur, who also participated in the protest, claimed that an attempt to murder case was booked against her under Section 307 of the IPC and it was an emotional attack on her. Though her parents understand her and encourage her for protests she is yet to get married and the society may not be the same in its views, said Rajeswari.