The Tamil Nadu government today told the Madras High Court that it would ascertain vacancy position on a petition seeking transfer of Perumal Murugan, who has withdrawn from literary world after a row over one of his novels, and his wife Ezhilarasi from Namakkal to any of the colleges in Chennai.
Government pleader S T S Moorhty assured the court that he will ascertain the vacancy position and inform the court on PIL filed by S Balamurugan, General Secretary of Chennai-based People's Union for Civil Liberties, seeking transfer for them from the Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Namakkal as they were facing serious threats for life.
The petitioner claimed the author was under constant threat and his life was in danger and said Murugan's fundamental right to write any novel had been snatched away by the decision of a peace committee in Namakkal last month.
He submitted that the decision to remove some portions from the novel 'Madhorubagan' by Murugan was taken at the meeting on January 12 under the "pressure" of the district administration.
The Facebook message by the author that "Perumal Murugan the author is dead" after tendering an apology at the peace meeting showed how the agreement was thrust upon him, he said.
Justice T S Sivagnanam directed the registry to tag this plea with the other similar writ petitions filed in this regard.
The petitioner submitted that though the government has posted policemen outside their house, they continue to receive threats over phone and some local organisations are still trying to foment trouble and violence against him and his family.
Murugan and his family have no protection when they move about. This vulnerability has forced them to stay indoors all the time. Both of them have given representations seeking transfer to any of the city colleges in Chennai as a measure of protection.
He submitted that even though it is only proper that the issues of transfer are service matters where the aggrieved persons alone can file petition, but in the present context where the persons concerned are living under a cloud of fear and are hesitant to directly approach the court for fear, he felt it was his duty to bring these facts to the notice of the court.
