Chennai: Controversy over the alleged suicide
of senior CPI(M) leader W R Varadrajan refused to die down as
the offices of a TV channel and the Left party were on Friday
attacked allegedly by rival party workers over telecast of a
report on the death of the Marxist leader.
The office of Makkal TV, promoted by PMK founder Dr S
Ramadoss, was ransacked allegedly by CPI(M) workers protesting
its report for giving a murder angle to Varadarajan's death,
whose decomposed body was recovered from a lake after he went
missing.
Police said about 100 CPI(M) workers who had gathered
outside the news channel's office, ransacked the office and
damaged some property and equipment, a day after it telecast
the controversial report.
Makkal TV employees alleged some of their colleagues were
injured in the incident, which Ramadoss described as proof of
"violent culture practised by the Marxists."
In immediate retaliation, a group of PMK workers
allegedly ransacked the CPI(M) headquarters here, damaging
vehicles parked outside and office furniture and property,
police said.
Speaking to reporters, CPI(M) state secretary G
Ramakrishnan denied involvement of party cadre in the attack
on the TV office and said somebody wanted to keep the issue
(Varadarajan's death) "alive".
"We did not indulge in any violence. In fact, our party
functionaries who had gone there to stage a protest and meet
Makkal TV management were attacked," Ramakrishnan claimed.
"We are yet to come out of the shock of Varadarajan's
death. Such reports (which had alleged a murder angle to the
death) will only create confusion. Some persons want to keep
the issue alive. This is unfortunate," he alleged.
Ramadoss said "many employees" including women were
injured in the attack on the channel office in which some
property and equipment were also damaged.
"This is against press freedom.. They have demonstrated
the violent culture they practise in West Bengal," he said in
a statement here.
Ramakrishnan described the Makkal TV report as "false"
and said his party was considering legal action. He said even
the post-mortem report of Varadarajan was yet to be received.
More than 70 CPI(M) workers and some PMK men were taken
into custody, police said.
Varadarajan, who was stripped of his central committee
membership on charge of moral turpitude after a woman accused
him of sexual harassment, was reportedly upset by the party
action.
CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat had defended the
party action and denied that he was "hounded to death".
PTI
First Published: Friday, March 05, 2010, 19:52