Tamil Nadu: Drunk with power, DMK workers unleashing violence, says Seeman

DHARMAPURI: NTK leader Seeman came down hard on the ruling DMK, accusing its cadres of unleashing violence at a party event on Tuesday. The condemnation came after his party workers were attacked by DMK cadres during a public meeting at Morappur in Dharmapuri district on Tuesday.
The NTK had organised a public meeting near the Morappur bus stand to demand the release of seven convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and that of Muslim convicts languishing in jails for more than 20 years.
In his speech, NTK functionary Himmler slammed the ruling DMK and chief minister M K Stalin “for doing precious little in the release of the seven convicts”. In videos widely circulated, DMK workers could be seen suddenly appearing on the dais and attacking the speaker and other functionaries. Morappur police registered a case against 50 people in connection with the incident.
Later, in a statement, Seeman said it was shameful that the police just stood and watched without acting. “They (the DMK) can counter our statements with words instead of unleashing violence,” he said.
Accusing the BJP of indulging in similar violence in northern states, he said it was a disgrace that the DMK too was behaving in a similar manner in Tamil Nadu. “DMK workers are indulging in such unruly behaviour, confident that the police won’t take action against them,” he said, demanding that all those who attacked his partymen should be arrested.
Condemning the attack on NTK cadres, AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the state government to initiate stern action against errant party workers. “It’s murder of democracy as the policemen watched the incident instead of preventing it,” he said. Palaniswami said under the previous AIADMK regime, the government allowed all political parties to conduct public meetings in a democratic way.
“Even the DMK conducted thousands of meetings across the state and criticised the AIADMK government using derogatory remarks,” EPS said. Stalin claims to be a strong advocate of freedom of speech, but his partymen are waging violence against the opposition parties, social activists and in social media, Palaniswami said.
On December 21, DMK workers attacked AIADMK’s Pollachi MLA V Jayaraman when he was participating in an event. “It’s strange that the policemen booked the MLA, AIADMK cadres and villagers instead of booking DMK cadres,” he said.
VCK leader and DMK ally Thol Thirumavalavan, while interacting with reporters in Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district on Thursday said violence wasn’t a solution. “Political parties can counter with statements,” he said, urging the government to take stern action against those involved in the Dharmapuri incident.