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PUCL demands repoll in Chidambaram

The People's Union for Civil Liberties today charged the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-Pattali Makkal Katchi combine with indulging in extensive booth-capture and rigging in the Chidambaram (reserved) constituency, which has witnessed post-electoral clashes between the Vanniars and dalits since Sunday.

Releasing the report of an eleven-member fact-finding team in Madras, Dr V Suresh, the organisation's general secretary for Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, urged the Election Commission to hold an inquiry into the allegations of booth-capturing and rigging in 50 areas and order a repoll where necessary.

Expressing surprise at Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta's rejection of the repoll demand, he said no central observer deputed by the commission had visited the affected areas to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.

He said the PUCL team, which visited the scene of clashes, found complete polarisation on caste lines in the constituency, leading to booth-capturing.

Referring to the violence in the last three days, he said the dalits were the victims in Thiagavalli, Naduthittu, Nochikadu, Kandamangalam, Karuppur, Vaipur, Kilangadu, Ambalpuram and Pinnalur, while Vanniars had been attacked at Anayampatti and Alappakkam.

Dr Suresh said the team came across a tense situation at the Kambalimedu-Thiruchipuram bridge yesterday where groups of armed persons belonging to the two communities were itching to attack the other. The police contingent at the spot was too small to handle the crisis, he added.

Suresh said there is fear and mistrust among the Vanniars and dalits in the affected areas. There is also the possibility of the violence spreading to other constituencies in northern Tamil Nadu, which have high concentrations of the two communities and are slated to go to the polls on Saturday.

He said the PUCL team noticed that most of the affected booths were located in Vanniar-dominated areas. The pattern of booth-capturing indicated that it was a pre-planned effort, he added.

The PUCL report alleged that state Backward Classes Minister R K Panneerselvam, former DMK legislator Ganesamurthy, who is also the Poondiamkuppam Panchayat Union chairman, and PMK district unit secretary Kaduvettu Guru were behind the clashes.

UNI

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