Chennai, Jan 10 (BPNS)
The Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) are conducting protests across Tamil Nadu against the desecration of a statue of Periyar, the father of the Dravidian movement at Vellalore in Coimbatore. The desecration had taken place on Saturday night after 10pm, police said.
Dravidar Kazhagam president, K. Veeramani has said that the party is conducting protest marches across the state against the desecration of statue of social reformer ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramaswamy and added that the protests are conducted abiding by the Covid protocol.
He said that people in batches of three to five people were putting up protests holding placards and getting arrested adhering strictly to the Covid protocol announced by the state health department and the state government.
While speaking to BPNS, the DK leader said, “We are conducting protests in a symbolic manner against the regular desecration of the statutes of Thanthai Periyar. If we don’t respond this would continue and the government of the day must act strongly against the perpetrators of this crime.”
On Sunday morning it was found that a statue of Periyar or E.V. Ramsamy was found sprinkled with saffron powder and garlanded with a chain of chappals. With the lockdown on Sunday and night curfew after 10 pm, there were not many people around who have seen the desecration of the statue.
CCTV visuals have revealed the presence of a person near the statue, according to Podanur police.
K. Ramakrishnan, President of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam while speaking to BPNS said, “The desecration of the statue of Periyar at Vellalore in Coimbatore is not a single phenomenon. Of late there have been several instances of people showing disrespect to the statue of Periyar and we cannot low lie and take this any more against the greatest social reformer of Tamil Nadu.”
Police have arrested and removed the protestors from Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Salem, Erode, Madurai, Chennai central, Tirunelveli, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and other districts of Tamil Nadu. With the Covid protocol strictly in place, the political parties and social organisations are conducting protests adhering strictly to Covid protocols and most of the protests have turned symbolic.
