TN Activist Guna Arrested over Posters on ‘Vacant’ Collector Post
Social activist Durai Guna was arrested for putting up posters calling for applicants for government postings.
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"Hiring for Job Vacancies. Postings? District Collector, District Revenue Officer, Divisional Revenue Officer, Tahsildar and Village Administrative Officer. Qualifications? General knowledge, discipline and self-respect. Recommendation from ministers and other officials will not be entertained."
The people of Karambakudi in Pudukottai district were in for a surprise when they came across posters 'advertising' jobs for top government positions in their district. The brains behind this jibe at the officials was social activist and writer Durai Guna, who was arrested on Monday. He had put up these posters on 24 August, fed up with the officials.
Durai Guna has been protesting against encroachments of the Vettukulam tank and this move was meant to highlight the alleged inaction and neglect in duty on the part of the officials. The activist had alleged that no action had been taken despite repeated requests to the government to remove the people who were illegally occupying three hectares of the Vettukulam tank and growing crops for the last three decades.
Guna was produced before the Alangudi Judicial Magistrate Court, which remanded him till 16 September.
The Village Administrative Officer of Theerthanviduthi had filed the complaint against him. Based on this, a case has been registered against Guna under sections 170 (impersonating a public servant) and 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) of the IPC, read with section 4 (B) of the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act.
Pudukottai DRO Shanti confirmed to The News Minute that a strict order has been given to remove the encroachers. “Instead of approaching us with a complaint he has tried to defame the department. We have now asked the encroachers to vacate. Since they’ve already sown their crops, we’ve given them two months’ notice to vacate. By October they will have moved,” she said.
(With inputs from The News Minute)
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