PMK seeks Prez's intervention to secure party workers' release

Stung by over 100 of its party functionaries being held under the stringent Goondas Act and National Security Act for their alleged involvement in violence, PMK today sought President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention to secure their release.
PMK founder S Ramadoss' son and former Union minister Anbumani handed over a memorandum to Mukherjee in New Delhi claiming that his party men were framed in many cases.
Referring to last month's violence at Marakkanam in Villupuram district, allegedly targeted at Dalits, for which his party had been blamed by chief minister Jayalalithaa, Anbumani reiterated PMK's claim that the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi was behind the incident.

Anbumani recalled that his father tried to stage a protest demanding arrest of the culprits behind the incident but he himself was arrested and lodged in Tiruchirappalli prison.
Scores of PMK leaders, including himself, were arrested, he said, adding, subsequently there were protests against these "atrocities". Following few stone pelting incidents by anti-social elements, the state government used the situation to "take vengeance" against his party, he alleged.
He alleged that police filed false cases against most senior PMK workers and booked 104 functionaries under Goondas Act and National Security Act within a span of ten days.
"I request you to use your good offices to immediately stop the aberrant activities of the State Government and save the hundreds of youth still languishing in jails. Please save our youth from misuse of the National Security Act and Goondas Act which are designed to tackle terrorists and those involved in anti-national activities," he appealed to Mukherjee.