COIMBATORE: Two elderly Dalit farmers, who were summoned by Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) accused a local BJP functionary of attempting to grab their 6.5 acres of farmland in Salem.
Addressing the media, after appearing for a questioning at the office of Superintendent of Police in Salem on Monday, Kannaiyan (72) and his brother Krishnan (67) from Attur accused Gunasekar, the BJP’s east district secretary of not allowing them to cultivate in their land over the last few years.
The ED’s mention of the farmer’s caste as ‘Hindu Pallars’ on the envelope led to outrage among political parties.
“On receiving summons from ED in Chennai, we appeared with documents and asked if it was fair to book them under PMLA as we ourselves were struggling without proper food and without any source of livelihood,” the brothers said.
The farmers said they were asked to appear for another round of inquiry. But the farmers refused claiming that they do not have any black money and asked the ED officials to come and check for themselves.
“The ED refused two advocates to accompany us during questioning despite informing them that we are illiterates and this resulted in a break out of minor quarrel,” the farmers said. The farmers said that they were also receiving threats at the instigation of the BJP functionary.
Meanwhile, the members of CPM lodged a complaint with police demanding action against the BJP functionary for attempting to grab the land of two farmers by issuing threats, forging documents and with the influence of ED.