‘There is also an undeclared emergency in Tamil Nadu curtailing vital aspects of civil rights’

Apprehending ‘emergence of Police State and shrinkage of democratic space’, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Tamil Nadu, on Saturday called for restoration of democratic norms in governance.

Permission to hold meetings, peaceful protests, processions and even distribution of handbills and pasting of posters are prima facie denied and the activists are arrested and remanded in custody, thus denying their fundamental rights to assemble and express, as guaranteed in the Constitution, the PUCL has alleged, citing the arrests of advocate Murugan of People's Righs Protection Committee, Valarmathi of Environmental Protection Collective, Thirumurugan and his comrades of May 17 Movement, anti-methane activist Professor Jayaraman, anti-nuclear power activist and advocate Semmani of Tirunelveli, cartoonist Bala, environmental activist Mugilan, and Arappor Iyakkam Nakeeran under draconian laws.

“It is only a sign of emerging Police State in Tamil Nadu. It is also an undeclared emergency curtailing vital aspects of civil rights. People must raise their vigilance and resistance against the ‘State repression’”, PUCL State Secretary R. Murali and president Gana. Kurinji told mediapersons.

Strangulation of justifiable attempts by youngsters to express dissent through social media and other public spaces through intimidation and coercion was deplorable, they said.

They also demanded withdrawal of the cases against those who had taken part in Jallikattu protests, stirs in Neduvasal, Kathiramangalam and Koodankulam, and other protest programs including the one carried out for NEET abolition.

They complained that the trend of tapping utility of Right to Information, a tool achieved through protracted campaign for ensuring transparency in governance was on the wane due to non-compliance of the mandatory voluntary disclosures and delay in furnishing of the sought information.

“The large number of appeals pending with the respective State Commissioners was a pointer to the indifference of the officials concerned, thus sabotaging the spirit of transparency,” Prof. Murali said.

Those responsible for denying what is enshrined in the constitution and law must be punished, he said, and assailed the ruling establishment in Tamil Nadu "for not asserting its federal rights".

By playing second fiddle to BJP, supporting communal fascism, plunging into the quagmire of corruption, displaying inefficiency and nepotism, and pursuing projects that were detrimental to the interests of the people, the ruling establishment has pushed the people into a situation of guarding their freedom through non-violent struggles.

The PUCL, Prof. said, was taking efforts to form a federation of all democratic organisations at the State-level to fight against the "suppressive" acts of the government.