Man hurls shoe at Periyar’s statue, held

Chennai/ Tirupur, Sep 17: A man hurled his shoe at a statue of Dravidian icon E. V. Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, at Chennai while another one was vandalised near Tirupur on Monday, when the rationalist’s 139th birth anniversary was been celebrated across the state.

Police said they are on the lookout for those who vandalised Periyar’s statue at Dharapuram, Tirupur, while the culprit was overpowered and arrested in Chennai.

The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( AIADMK), the main opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( DMK), its parent outfit Dravidar Kazhagam ( DK) and other political parties condemned the incidents.

AIADMK leader and fisheries minister D. Jayakumar said, “Amma’s ( late Jayalalithaa) government will not tolerate such unacceptable acts. The culprits will be booked and stern action will be taken.”

DMK chief M. K. Stalin said that those responsible for the incidents be booked under the National Security Act. DK chief K. Veeramani said that Periyar cannot be defamed by hurling footwear at his statue.

When Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi ( VCK) cadre were paying floral tributes to a statue of Periyar on Anna Salai in Chennai, a man arrived on motorcycle and flung a shoe at it. VCK cadre roughed him up, identified as Jagadeesan, police said. — PTI