The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has summoned DMK chief MK Stalin over allegations that the office of DMK mouthpiece Murasoli is situated on panchami land.
Stalin serves as the managing trustee of the Murasoli Trust.
A letter from the Commission to Stalin said, “I am directed to refer to this Commission's letter of even number dated 14.11.2019 on the subject mentioned above to say that Dr L Murugan, Hon'ble Vice-Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, has fixed a hearing in this case with you in person…”
Stalin has been asked to appear at the Commission's office at 11:30am on January 7. He has been asked to appear in person along with an up to date ‘action taken report and all relevant documents including relevant files, case diaries, etc.’
The summons has been issued based on a representation by R Srinivasan, the Tamil Nadu State Secretary of the BJP. Srinivasan had sought an investigation into the DMK mouthpiece's office location as it had been alleged that it was built on panchami land — the land given by the British colonial administrators to Dalits.
The issue came to light after a war-of-words between the PMK and DMK. Following PMK chief S Ramadoss' allegation regarding the Murasoli office, Stalin had tweeted a copy of the land deed of the office dated 1985.
The state government of Tamil Nadu has also been made a party to the case. A hearing of the case already took place in November this year where DMK's Organising Secretary RS Bharathi was present to argue the case on behalf of the party. He had rejected the claims made by Srinivasan, a defamation case was also filed in a city civil court.
PMK's allegation came shortly after Stalin watched the Dhanush-starrer Asuran in October this year.
“Asuran is not just a film, but a lesson. With the Panchami land rights restoration in focus, it daringly questions caste violence that plagues this caste-based society. My congratulations to Vetrimaaran who has won in terms of story-screenplay-dialogues and my appreciation to Dhanush who has lived the role,” Stalin had tweeted.