After the murder of Tamil Nadu BSP president, filmmaker Pa Ranjit raised the issue of safety of Dalit leaders
Ranjit announced a big rally on July 20 to pressurize the government to catch the real culprits behind Armstrong’s murder.
Published on: 21 Jul 2024, 8:06 am
New Delhi. Following the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tamil Nadu president K Armstrong, filmmaker and strong Dalit rights advocate Pa Ranjith has criticised the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government for failing to provide adequate security to Dalit leaders. Speaking to the media , Ranjith announced a big rally on July 20 to pressurise the government to catch the real culprits behind Armstrong’s murder.
Ranjith stressed the need for proper security for Dalit leaders and highlighted the constant threats they receive. “Political leaders, especially Dalit leaders, are not given adequate security in the state. When I spoke to Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan, he mentioned several threats. For a person like him, who is in mainstream politics, if you ask me if he is given adequate security – it is still doubtful. In Tamil Nadu, the police should be aware of the threats such leaders receive and ensure that they take all necessary measures,” Ranjith said.
On July 5, Armstrong was brutally attacked and killed by six unidentified assailants near his residence in Chennai’s Perambur area. So far, 14 people have been arrested in the case, while the search is on for three more. Ranjit said, “They should keep an eye on these politicians and provide adequate security to such leaders.”
‘Rally to pressurize the state to reveal the truth’
The case is currently being investigated by the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID). Ranjit said the aim of the rally is to put pressure on the state to uncover the truth behind Armstrong’s murder.
“The main objective of the rally is to ensure a fair probe into Armstrong’s murder. The real culprits must be arrested. Is there any political hand behind the murder? Are any big names involved? All these angles must be investigated. We want to put pressure on the state government to ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair and thorough manner. If we are not satisfied with the ongoing investigation, we will demand a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),” Ranjit said.
BSP supremo Mayawati, who visited Chennai to pay tribute to Armstrong, said the real culprits were yet to be caught and urged the Stalin government to hand over the case to the CBI.
Opposition parties, including the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have also demanded a CBI probe into the murder.
Ranjit criticised the government’s handling of the situation. He said, “The Tamil Nadu government could have handled the matter better. The way the body was handed over, the burial space was denied and the funeral procession was carried out, the government did not handle it properly. We are not happy with them.”
Ranjit said they would wait for the investigation findings before deciding on further action.
