Five AIADMK and four ruling AINRC party MLAs on Saturday submitted a petition to Speaker V Sabapathy seeking protection. They also sought action against ‘unscrupulous’ individuals “who are intimidating and blackmailing MLAs through periodicals and journals”.
This comes a day after AIADMK MLA Om Sakthi Segar and his son Kaviarasan were admitted to the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and the Post Graduate Institute after being allegedly assaulted by a rival group on Lenin Street in Segar’s Nelithope constituency.
Retired inspector Rajaraman and a vegetable vendor Muruganandam, who allegedly belonged to the rival group, also sustained injuries and were admitted to the same hospital on Friday night.
Both sides lodged complaints with the Orleanpet Police and cases of assault were registered against Segar, his son, Rajaramam, Muruganandam and 11 others.
At the heart of the enmity between the two groups was publication of certain ‘derogatory’ articles in Rajaram’s magazine Puduvai Pulanaivu. In the days leading up to the last Assembly elections, Segar indirectly criticised the publication and activists who under the garb of human rights indulged in blackmailing political figures. He had also called for a crackdown on ‘fake’ human rights organisations.
The petition was submitted by AIADMK MLAs A Anbazhagan, Om Sakthi Segar, Purushottaman, L Periyasamy and A Baskar and AINRC MLAs G Nehru, Vaidiyanathan, Ashok Anand and Karthikeyan.
Responding to the petition, the Speaker said he would discuss the issue with the chief minister, chief secretary, Inspector General of Police and the Collector and convene a meeting of MLAs of all parties.
Speaking to media persons later, Anbazhagan slammed publications that in the name of human rights indulged in illegal activities. He also stated that despite the issue being raised by Om Sakthi Segar in the Assembly, no action was taken by the government.
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