Another Periyar statue vandalised in TN; DMK, Rajini condemn

A statue of social reformer and Dravidian movement icon E V Ramasamy, popularly known as "Periyar", was found damaged in a village here today, the latest in a series of similar incidents of vandalism.

The head of the statue was found cut and placed near a traffic roundabout, police said.

The vandalism drew condemnation from DMK working president M K Stalin and top actor Rajinikanth.

Police said district authorities restored the statue to its original state within hours of the incident.

A large contingent of police has been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident, police said, adding a case has been registered.

Stalin charged the government with being 'just a spectator' and said if appropriate action had been taken against BJP leader H Raja's comments that Periyar statues should be removed, the vandalism could have been averted.

"This government is just a spectator and that is the truth," he told reporters.

Stalin, also Leader of Opposition in the assembly, said "they (vandalised) did it at night and if they had done it in broad daylight, they would have got punishment for it."
He said the "crowd of cowards who are trying to enter Tamil Nadu through the rear entrance are miscalculating that by destroying Periyar's statue his ideology could also be struck off."
Rajinikanth, who is set to enter politics, said on his return here from his sojourn in Uttarakhand that "it is a barbaric act, I have said this before and I reiterate now, I strongly condemn it."