Condemn the brutal assault of Pachiayappa College Students by Jaya’s faithful dogs Police Rowdies!

TNM strongly condemns the arrest & assault of college students of Pachaiyappa College organized by Revolutionary Students Youth Front (RSYF) against the state-run TASMAC liquor shops. TASMAC or Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation is the state sponsored shop for cheap goods, but in reality only sells liquor. These liquors are procured from different proxies of politicians of various parties including AIADMK, DMK etc. The sale of liquors through these monopoly shops started during 2003 with the turnover of 3,500 crores, the same was raised to 21,680 crores during the year of 2012-13. The exponential increase of profit by 28,188 crores from 6800 shops is achieved by ruin of lakhs of families of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu tops India in road accident deaths caused by liquor. Slowly the addiction has increased visibly even in school children along with the youth. Ironicaly, one would find that, there are 4000 government run schools in Tamil Nadu and 6400 TASMAC liquor shops.

People’s Authority (PA), a forum bringing together common people coming together for this issue, is putting forth a strong fight to bring about a complete ban on alcohol that is causing loss & degradation of many lives. One must not see this demand to be conservative as this proposed prohibition is not based on a moralistic argument against alcohol, but a practical concern arising out of state-fed poison which keeps the working class & youth docile & compliant. Instead this politicization of many women, children & youths affected by rampant alcoholism, has forged the mobilization that enables people to take over the defunct state machineries, may it be the social problems that come with alcohol or any other issue.

The struggle against TASMAC started with about 600 students of Pachaiyappa’s College near a liquor shop at Aminjikarai. The students raised the slogans “kudikkava? Padikkavaa?” (To drink? Or To study?), criticizing the government. The protest ended with the raiding of liquor shop. The police retaliated with verbal abuse & lathi charge. Umpteen numbers of students struggled to come out of the brutal attack of mob but in vain. Female students were attacked & kicked by police men. The students were arrested From the reliable sources & it has been confirmed that the students were even attacked under custody. Most of the students are under medical treatment at KMCH hospital. A similar brutal attack was done by police men on students who protested against Pondicherry Vice-chancellor’s illegitimate appointment and anti-student decision. Now the Pachiappa College students are standing up an example for the entire state in dealing with the Govt running wine shops.

Another liquor shop in Coimbatore was taken over & destroyed by PA. RSYF activists protesting in both places are being harassed in jails, both physically & mentally. However, people have put forth a sustained yet strong fight against this state terror of the fascist Jayalalitha government. Com. Raju State organizer of  PA and twenty others, has been arrested & denied bail.

TNM finds this movement exemplary as it goes beyond rhetorics & adopts radical modes of waging a war against the state which doesn’t pay heed to welfare of people. This issue is not simply about destroying a wine shop but the people themselves taking the authority in their hand. We must engage in similar militant struggles that knocks sense into the ruling class. If we want to fight against the Brahmanical state, such movements led by the people are key because they ensure a political mobilization that cannot be crushed easily.