Ambedkar death anniv: HC allows just 5 IMK leaders to visit memorial

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday allowed Indu Makkal Katchi president Arjun Sampath and four other functionaries to visit the Ambedkar Memorial in Chennai on the death anniversary of the freedom fighter with a condition that the IMK members should not wear any saffron dhoti and the sandal thilak to the statue of Ambedkar.

Justice G Chandrasekharan passed the direction on disposing of a petition filed by G Arunkumar, a member of the Indu Makkal Katchi. The petitioner sought direction to the city police to allow Sampath and other IMK members to visit the memorial based on two representations submitted by the party.

However, the police objected to the submissions stating that one women wing leader of IMK was involved in a ruckus with the policemen and caused public disorder. Nevertheless, the IMK’s advocate submitted that his party functionaries have submitted an undertaking affidavit stating that they would not raise any slogan/s and speech against anyone. They will not play any instrument and cause any hindrance to the traffic or the general public.

Certainly, the IMK made it clear that its party president and others will not wear “kavi dhoti” or sandal thilagam or kumkum or vibuthi to the Ambedkar statue at the memorial.

Recording the submissions, the HC granted permission only to five IMK representatives, including its president Arjun Sampath, imposing several conditions on them.

The judge, though the petitioner asked permission to visit the memorial, imposed conditions and therefore, only five persons shall visit the memorial along with the police.

Advocates protest against Arjun Sampath on HC premises

When IMK president Arjun Sampath visited the HC for appearing in the case, he tried to garland the Ambedkar statue inside the court campus. However, a section of advocates came to that place and raised slogans against Arjun Sampath and demanded that Sampath must go away from the HC campus. According to the advocates, an IMK functionary had pasted a memorial poster with Ambedkar’s photo in saffron attire and therefore, Sampath is not deserved to garland the leader’s statue. As the number of protesting advocates increased, police escorted Sampath till he left the campus.