Don’t let political parties go scot-free after damaging public property, HC tells TN Govt

Says voiceless ordinary citizens end up being the victims of violence perpetrated during agitations

Political parties and communal, linguistic or ethnic groups cannot be let go scot-free when their cadre indulge in violence, damage public property and terrorise the people during agitations, the Madras High Court High Court has said. It has insisted upon stringent action against them to recover the losses not only for the physical damage caused but also for disruption of public services due to the violence.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam said that ordinary citizens were mostly voiceless and hence it was the duty of the constitutional courts to be the voice of the voiceless for the purpose of protecting their fundamental and constitutional rights. He pointed out that it was such voiceless citizens who were forced to tolerate numerous illegalities committed either by political parties or the communal, linguistic and ethnic groups.

“A majority of right-thinking citizens are the victims of such violence and their normal life gets affected to a great extent. Many poor people have lost their property and huge damages have been caused to public property. Therefore, the Government of the day is expected to initiate quick and effective actions in such circumstances where any mischief is committed and damage or loss is caused to the properties,” he wrote.