The Madras High Court on Friday took serious note of alleged violence during recent agitations by Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) cadres seeking 20% reservation for Vanniyars in higher education and government jobs.
Individual affidavits
It directed the Home Secretary, the Director General of Police and the Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police to file individual affidavits explaining the action taken by them.
Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and R. Pongiappan recorded a public interest litigant’s submission that even a section of advocates had staged a demonstration outside the High Court campus on Wednesday condemning alleged neglect of Vanniyars in appointment as High Court judges and wondered whether any police permission was obtained for the protest.
Stones pelted
Since it was reported to the court that stones were thrown on trains during the agitation by PMK cadres, the judges suo motu included the Southern Railway, represented by its General Manager, as one of the respondents to the case and ordered notice to it also.
They directed Central government senior panel counsel N. Ramesh to take notice on behalf of the Union Home Ministry.
State Government Pleader V. Jayaprakash Narayanan was asked to take notices on behalf of the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary, the DGP and the Police Commissioner and make sure that all file individual counter affidavits listing out the preventive as well as other penal actions taken against the agitators who indulged in violence.
