Tamil Nadu leaders see red over BJP veteran H Raja’s posts on Periyar

CHENNAI: Senior BJP leader H Raja stirred a hornet’s nest on Tuesday after making a public statement that Periyar EV Ramasamy’s statues in Tamil Nadu would be pulled down as his compatriots allegedly uprooted an idol of popular international Communist leader Lenin in Tripura. He took back his posts on the social media following a widespread outrage and condemnation with several leaders seeking his arrest while the State BJP distanced itself from the incendiary remarks.

His posts on Facebook and Twitter read: “Today Lenin’s statue in Tripura; tomorrow it could be the caste fanatic Periyar’s statue in Tamil Nadu.”Within moments of posting the inflammatory message, Raja received brickbats as the social media were abuzz with messages of condemnation and outrage while leaders of top political parties and Tamil organisations demanded his immediate arrest.

DMK working president MK Stalin said, “None has the courage to touch Periyar’s statue. H Raja has been coming out with such inflammatory talks as if to incite violence. He should be detained under the Goondas Act.”Strongly condemning the BJP leader, who courts controversy more often by his unbridled barbs, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president S Thirunavukkarasar stated, “Raja should mend his ways and avoid impolite talks.”

MDMK general Vaiko was firing from all cylinders against Raja, saying that his partymen would no longer tolerate incendiary remarks.“How dare Raja could say like this? Is it because BJP is in power at the Centre? Or because the State government is dancing to its tunes?” asked K Veeramani, president of Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) which was founded by Periyar.

Saying that people like Raja were indulging in such activity only because they got encouragement from the AIADMK, Dr S Ramadoss, founder of PMK,  demanded that he seek an apology from the public and the State government arrest him. K Balakrishnan, CPM State secretary, also wanted the State government to take action to arrest Raja immediately as he had been indulging in inflammatory talk.

State secretary of CPI R Mutharasan cautioned that the BJP leader’s words could turn Tamil Nadu into a land of violence and condemned the State government for remaining mute without invoking the Goondas Act against him.VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader MK Jawahirullah also condemned Raja.

Periyar statue damaged
A Periyar statue was reportedly damaged by two persons in Tirupattur late on Tuesday. According to sources, the culprits were identified as Muthuraman, a BJP functionary, and Francis. A local shop keeper was said to have found two persons trying to damage Periyar statue that was located opposite Tirupattur Taluk office