In yet another attempt to stifle opposition voices and nationalist opinions, the DMK government has suspended a policeman. His only fault was that he shared his personal views on the functioning of the DMK government and pro-RSS BJP content on his Facebook.
Suresh, a Head Constable posted at Ambathurai police station in the Dindigul district force has been suspended for sharing nationalist pro-RSS and BJP content on his Facebook page. On receiving information about this, the Tamil Nadu police department has taken action against him.
His Facebook page was reportedly checked by cybercrime officials based on a complaint. Even though his Facebook account is still active his recent posts and shares couldn’t be seen. Higher officials had also called Suresh’s friends on Facebook whose posts he shared. A Siva Sena functionary and a few other Hindu outfit members were reportedly called for investigation. The Shiv Sena functionary told the media that he was told that he will be interrogated about Suresh’s posts criticising the state government and in favour of the central government.
A Head Constable, Suresh, attached to Ambathurai police station in #Dindigul district was suspended for posting & sharing news, in his #Facebook page, in favour of #BJP & #RSS – citing the Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Police Officers conduct Rules. pic.twitter.com/pUxyHpjuzV
— Vinodh Arulappan (@VinodhArulappan) May 31, 2022
But they were sent off and told to “not make it a big issue” and not “talk to the media”. Condemning the cop’s suspension he said that DMK should learn to take criticism instead of indulging in revenge tactics.
DMK sympathising social media influencers have been stalking profiles of government servants who are even mildly pro-BJP. Ilakkiya, a DSP under training, was stalked by DMK supporters for liking BJP state president K Annamalai’s tweets and pro-BJP and anti-DMK tweets from Twitter users. She had to delete her account after they harassed her for having a different ideological orientation.
The government rule books say, participating in any political activities or becoming its members would not be allowed. A Madras HC order in 2010 says, “If any employee chooses to serve the nation by being a member of a political party, he can do so without continuing as a government servant. If he chooses to serve the nation as a government servant, he should forego his “political involvement. But in reality, the government employees are actively participating in the state politics in all states, especially in Tamil Nadu. The government school teachers’ body recently admitted that they had helped DMK in the last assembly and local body polls to win by indulging in unfair means but the government did not fulfil their demands in return.
In Coimbatore based Bharathiyar University, Vice-Chancellor P Kaliraj tried to promote Dravidian Ideology among the university students. He had also invited Suba Veerapandian, general secretary of Dravida Iyakka Tamizhar Peravai, for an even in December last. At that time, BJP leader H Raja demanded his resignation. “While speaking, Vice-Chancellor Kaliraj had even expressed his desire to participate in the conference by wearing a black shirt. He should either resign or express an unconditional apology for making such a remark. He can very well wear a black shirt by joining Dravidar Kazhagam. Organising such meetings in the university premises may trigger communal hatred among students,”.
In last November, protests were held against a seminar on ‘Periyar and Islam’ at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) in Tirunelveli by Hindu Munnani and ABVP workers. The same university prescribed ‘walking with comrades’, a book written by urban Naxal Arundhati Roy that stroked a stir. We can cite several instances to prove government employees owing allegiance to a ruling openly doing political activities. On the alleged suspicion of leaking information to BJP leader Annamalai, DMK government transferred N Kannan, additional commissioner of police, south Chennai a day before PM Modi’s city function.
DMK sympathising police officers are given plum posts, and officers with different ideological orientations ( RSS, BJP and other Hindu outfits) are identified and given “dummy” postings or posted in the least important posts or remote areas.
