70 Arrested for Bid to Picket Ashram

The New India Express

By Express News Service

Published: 10th January 2015 06:03 AM 

An activist, trying to jump the barricade; and (right) activists staging a protest march in front of ashram on Friday | k ramesh 

PUDUCHERRY: Around 70 activists belonging to twenty organisations led by G Sugumaran of Federation for People’s Rights were arrested for attempting to picket Sri Aurobindo Ashram on Friday.

The agitation was staged to demand the ashram be brought under the control of the territorial administration and an IAS officer be appointed as administrator. The protestors also sought re-admission for the expelled sisters who survived the suicide attempt and compensation of `5 lakhs to the family for the death of the two sisters and their mother. Alleging several irregularities in functioning of the Ashram, the activists demanded judicial probe.

The volunteers assembled in front of the Head Post Office (HPO) from where they went on a procession through Gingee Salai and proceeded towards the Ashram and were stopped by the police. They shouted slogans condemning criticized the government for failing to take action. 

Adding to the drama which played out at the protest venue, one of the activists climbed the barricades and ran towards the Ashram, but police prevented him. Another activist tried to break the window pane of ‘Auroshikha’ building but instead he hit a policeman. Volunteers of Tamilar Desiya Iyakkam, Makkal Vazhorimai Iyakkam, Puducherry student association, Dravidar Kazhagam, Nam Tamilar Katchi, Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, Puratchi Ambedkar Thondarpadai, Dalit Sena, Makkal Manram, Rajiv Gandhi Human Rights protection association participated.

  

http://m.newindianexpress.com/tamil-nadu/415622