A new breed of helmet users have come up in Tamil Nadu. Drivers of State-run buses in various districts have started wearing helmets. No, it is not because of fear of accidents or the buses turning topsy-turvy.
With drivers of many State-run buses getting injured in pelting of stones by the workers of the Vanniyar-dominated PMK, the State Government started distributing helmets to bus drivers.
Though two-wheeler drivers in the State grumble about wearing helmets; drivers of the State Transport Corporations cooperated with the Government. Districts of Cuddalore, Villupuram, Vellore, Arni, Ariyalur, which are Vanniyar strongholds spot of drivers in helmets.
According to STC officials, the helmets were provided to the drivers free of cost. “The duty driver collects his helmet from the station master and gives it back once he completes his duty hours,” a senior STC official told The Pioneer.
Tamil Nadu could be the only State in the country where bus drivers wear helmets to escape from the wrath of mob. Security has been tightened in the Vanniyar belt following the death of Selvan (40), passenger of a bus bound for Erode from Chennai in stone throwing by the PMK workers.
Saturday saw the release of S Ramadoss, the PMK founder and a group of party workers from Tiruchi Central Prison where he has been incarcerated for the last 11 days for defying prohibitory orders. Ramdoss, who was slapped with four more cases, was granted bail on all cases. His son Anbumani too was released on bail on Friday.
The PMK founder said his party would not have any truck either with the DMK or the AIADMK. “We will fight the lok Sabha elections on our own and win at least ten seats,” Ramdoss told reporters. But political pundits in Chennai said this was his style of functioninf. “On the eve of the lok sabha elections, one may be able to see Ramdoss either at Gopalapuram or the CIT Colony (where the two wives of the DMK chief Karunanidhi have their residences),” said a senior PMK watcher. later he got admitted to a corporate hospital in Chennai for medical check-up.
But two prominent acolytes of Ramdoss were slapped with National Security Act and have been sent to jail for one year. ‘Kaduvetti” J Guru, floor leader of the three-member PMK in Tamil Nadu assembly who was arrested recently for hate speech was invoked with NSA following the recommendations of the Kancheepuram district collector.
“Kaduvetti’ in Tamil means one who chops trees and forests. The recent riots unleashed by the PMK workers saw the cutting down of thousands of trees all over the State. The PMK activists selectively cut down trees along the national and State highways in order to bring traffic to a standstill. Interestingly, the PMK has a non-Governmental Organisation by name Pasumai Thayakam which means the Green Motherland.
The Ramdoss family describes themselves as Green Warriors and pontificate to the people to plant trees and stay away from smoking and liquor. The April 26 riots at Marakkanam saw the party workers giving vent to their feelings by chopping almost all the trees in party strongholds.
Along with Guru, two more activists of the PMK have been detained under the NSA.