Tamil Nadu: Hindu Makkal Katchi files petition against Irom Sharmila’s wedding in Kodaikanal
The party said her stay in the city would attract international and local agitators to the tourist town.
The Hindu Makkal Katchi have filed a petition in Tamil Nadu’s Kodaikanal city against the proposed wedding of human rights campaigner Irom Sharmila, The Hindu reported. This is the second such petition filed in a month against her wedding plans.
Sharmila and her partner, Desmond Coutinho of British nationality, had submitted their papers in Kodaikanal for their marriage under the Special Marriage Act at sub-registrar office on July 12. As per the Act, the couple needs to give a 30-day notice period before getting married. The duo had moved to the tourist town after she lost in Manipur Assembly elections in March this year.
State general secretary of HMK, R Ravikumar, in the petition said her reasons for moving to Kodaikanal should be investigated. “If she really wanted to fight against human rights violations, she should go to Kashmir,” Ravikumar told reporters, according to The Hindu. “Her stay would certainly attract international and local agitators to Kodaikanal and it would affect the peace.”
Ravikumar further threatened that if officials failed to send the “Iron Lady” back to Manipur, the HMK will not allow her to enter Kodaikanal.
In July, a social activist, V Mahendran, had made the same arguments that Kodaikanal’s security will be at stake if Sharmila and her fiancé were to permanently settle in the tourist town after getting married.