The Hindu : Pondy CPI to seek NHRC intervention

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 05, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Pondicherry

Pondy CPI to seek NHRC intervention

By Our Staff Reporter

Pondicherry June 4. The former Pondicherry Agriculture Minister and CPI national council member, R. Viswanathan, who was among 20 party volunteers arrested last month near the Pondicherry Engineering college for alleged assault on learners at a free Sanskrit coaching programme, told newsmen here today that his party would soon write to the National Human Rights Commission to secure justice for the volunteers of the party.

He said he and his volunteers had objected to the Samskrita Bharathi using a government college premises to propagate the message and philosophy of the RSS in the garb of teaching students Sanskrit.

He said the Chief Minister had now ordered an enquiry into the incidents and the District Collector had been asked to conduct the probe.

"We welcome the steps taken by the Chief Minister", he added. With the Chief Minister ordering probe, the volunteers called off the fast yesterday evening.

The CPI and the CPM demanding that the IG of Police be replaced undertook the fast.

Mr. Viswanathan said he and his men were not against learning Sanskrit but the attempt to propagate the RSS message was not acceptable.

A Ramamoorthy, the deputy CPI leader who was also present at the press conference, said the party had written to the AICC leader, Sonia Gandhi, bringing to her notice the style of functioning of the Congress Government here.

D Geethanathan, the deputy secretary of the CPI, and a few other functionaries, including V S Abishegam of AITUC were present.

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