A campaign born out of love and gratitude

For Chinnaponnu and the nine others from Mettur in Tamil Nadu’s Salem district, the election to the Wayanad parliamentary constituency holds a special significance. It is an opportunity to express their gratitude to Annie Raja, the CPI candidate. She had stood with them in their toughest fight, and they have arrived in the constituency to return the favour by campaigning for her.

They are among the 89 people who were detained and tortured by the Joint Special Task Force (JSTF) in 1993 during its operation to capture forest brigand Veerappan. The JSTF, established in 1991 by the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments, subjected them to various atrocities, as per a report submitted to the National Human Rights Commission.

“Annie Amma is like family to us. She has helped us a lot to fight our case. She is the one who raises our issues with government officials,” says Chinnaponnu, who herself suffered torture at the hands of JSTF.

“In 2007, a sum of Rs 2.80 crore was distributed to the victims as an interim relief. This was out of the Rs 10 crore promised by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments. They didn’t give the remaining amount. It was at that time that Annie Amma joined our struggle.

She has been with us in our legal fight to get the final settlement. The next hearing regarding the compensation disbursal at Madras high court is on Friday,” she added.

As per a report submitted by Justice Sadashiva panel to National Human Rights Commission, the atrocities committed by JSTF include rape, assault, application of electric current, outrage of modesty, illegal detention, and torture leading to permanent disability, before former arrest and prosecution under TADA.

“A few NGOs and organizations helped us initially. But it was for a short period. It was Annie Amma who has stood with us throughout our fight for justice. That’s why we have come all the way for her,” she said.

“During our visits to New Delhi for National Human Rights Commission sittings, Annie Raja provides us with all support, including food. She even lets us stay at her residence when we are in Delhi,” said A Murugesan, who was detained and tortured by JSTF for 22 days in 1993. “My father, grandfather, and uncle were killed by JSTF in 1993,” he says.

They say it is their personal connect with Raja that brought them to Wayanad and otherwise, they are not against other political parties, including Congress. “We like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi very much,” says Chinnaponnu.