Arappor Iyakkam gifts book on Constitution to CoP Arun, criticises denial of permission for anti-Adani stir
In a letter sent to the Police Commissioner, Arappor Iyakkam expressed disappointment over the rejection of the protest permission, citing the police’s concerns about potential traffic congestion and law and order issues.
Arappor lyakkam convenor Jayaram Venkatesan. (File)
CHENNAI: Asking Chennai police commissioner A Arun on how he prefers to be remembered after retirement, Arappor Iyakkam sent a copy of the Constitution of India 'with love' as a gift and warned the Commissioner that history will remember him badly as anti-constitutional and pro-corrupt.
The letter and the 'gift' were sent as a response to a communication from Arun, denying permission to the organisation to protest the alleged corruption of the Adani group, on January 5.
Pointing to a Supreme Court judgment and a High Court judgment that clarified that the state has a duty to protect freedom of expression and cannot plead inability to handle protesters if they turn hostile, Arappor said: "We believe this is yet another attempt in the rather inglorious record of the Chennai police in the last few days to stifle any attempt at public assembly and expression of opinion. We see this as strong evidence that Tamil Nadu is progressing towards undeclared emergency and is a police state," Jayaram Venkatesan said.
Reminding Arun that he is a public servant who has to work as per the Constitution, the organisation asked whether the permission was denied based on the instruction of Chief Minister MK Stalin or Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin or to save Adani.
Wishing a happy pongal to the Commissioner, Jayaram Venketesan asked the former whether he should be remembered as an anti-people, anti-constitutional, pro-corrupt, pro-authoritarian stand or as an official who served for people's interest and safety.
