Kochi: The police on Sunday took scores of Dalit leaders, social and human right activists who gathered at Choondy Junction near Puthencruz in Ernakulam district from all over the state to attend a Dalit self-respect convention, into preventive custody before releasing them later in the day.
Those released then joined with several others and assembled at Choondy Junction again in the afternoon and held a meeting before leaving the place. The meeting has decided to protest against the attempt by the Nair Service Society (NSS) unit to enclose the land at Bhajnamadam, Vadayambadi before the Secretariat in Thir-uvananthapuram. The date will be announced later. They are seeking the cancellation of the title deed of the land given to the NSS.
The convention was called by Dalit Bhuadhikara Samrakshana Samiti along with a slew of activist groups in protest against police arresting people on an agitation against the local NSS unit enclosing more than an acre of land used as an open ground by the community for many years.
A section of people owing allegiance to various Hindutava outfits also assembled in the area threatening to thwa-rt the self-respect convention. The Hindutva elements unleashed a barrage of provocative slogans against the convention which led to retaliatory ‘Jai Bheem’ slogans by the Dalit activists and their supporters. Soon the police moved in and arrested the Dalit activists and leaders and took them to the Puthen Cruz police station.
Those arrested included Dalit writers K.K. Kochu, K.M. Salimkumar, poet Sathi Angmalay, Kerala Dalit Mahasbaha president C.S. Murali, Anti-Sarfesi movement leaders P.J. Manuel, V.C, Jenny, human rights activists Thushar Nirmal Saradhy, Suja Bharathy, Dr P.G. Hari, A,B. Prasanth and several others.
Speaking to this newspaper, C.S. Murali, president of the Kerala Dalit Mahasabha, said the police connived with the Hindutva forces to prevent the Self-respect convention. The police has not taken any steps to arrest or disperse the Hindutva elements who have used provocative and abusive language and threatened to use physical violence against us, he said. He added police acted in a brutal manner while arresting the Dalit leaders and activists.
The Hindutva activists allegedly attacked the media who reached the place to report the incident. Jeevan Ram, Sreejith, Alex, Shiami were the media persons who bore brunt of ire of the Hindutva brigade. The police had earlier prevented the Dalit activists and their supporters from moving to Bhajanamadam as they blocked the three approach roads to the place on the apprehensions of a law and order problem.
Cultural activists condemn the police action
A group of writers, cultural personalities and public intellectuals have condemned the police action at Vadyamabadi on Sunday. “The police action is a disgrace to democratic Kerala”, said the signatories. Instead of taking action against the RSS workers trying to provoke a fight in the area the police acted against the people who came forward to express their democratic rights, they added.
The signatories included B.R.P. Bhaskar, P.A. Pouran, Najmal Babu (T.N. Joy), Paul Zachariah, B. Rajeevan, J. Devika, M.N. Ravunni, Rekha Raj and many others. They have also called for the unconditional the release of Joy Pavel, convener of the committee to help the Vadayambadi struggle, currently under judicial custody.
