Another TN district bars Ramadoss, aide

Following the examples set by Madurai and Ramanathapuram districts, the district administration of Cuddalore on Monday barred Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S Ramadoss and his close aide from entering the district to take part in meetings, protests and other political functions till March 20.

The PMK founder-leader was to take part in a meeting of intermediary castes in the district on Tuesday. In the order issued late in the evening, Cuddalore district collector R Kirlosh Kumar said Ramadoss has been barred from entering the district considering law and order problems that may arise which would affect public peace. His close aide and MLA J Gurunathan alias 'Kaduvetti' Guru, has also been barred by the district administration, both under section 144 of the CrPC. The decision was taken based on the report by the superintendent of police about the ground situation in the communally-sensitive coastal district, said officials.

Apparently prompted by the drubbings in consecutive polls, Ramadoss had fallen back on caste politics, using the anti-Dalit plank as the common ground for joining forces with the influential and numerically strong intermediary castes. Ramadoss's PMK claims to represent the interests of the Vanniya community, one of the major caste groups among Hindus in Tamil Nadu.

Amendment to the SC/SC (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, is one of the main demands of the caste Hindu groups, alleging that the provisions of the act were being misused. Ramadoss had announced holding joint meetings of the communities across the State, and was to visit Cuddalore on Tuesday as part of it.

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