Protests against Vairamuthu over alleged remarks on Goddess

A large number of people from different sub-sects of Hindu religion today staged protests in parts of the state demanding unconditional apology from film lyricist Vairamuthu for his alleged remarks against Goddess Andal.
The Jeer (mutt head) of Manavala Mamuni Mutt began an indefinite fast with a similar demand, in Virudhunagar district.
The protesters, including Vaishnavites, devotees of Lord Vishnu and members of Brahmin Association, gathered near South Taluk office in Coimbatore and raised slogans against the poet and sought his unconditional apology for his alleged remarks against the Goddess.
Meanwhile, another group of persons, including women, owing allegiance to Hindu Makkal Katchi also joined demonstrators and sang stanzas of 'Thiruppaavai' written by Andal.

Hindu Makkal Katchi president, Arjun Sampath said Vairamuthu should apologise for his denigrating remarks against Andal, who is held in high esteem across the state.
In Srivilliputhur in Virudhunagar district, the head of Manavala Mamuni Mutt began an indefinite fast as there was no response from Vairamuthu to his request to tender an apology for his reported remarks against the goddess.

An organisation under the banner "Vazhga Hindu Neethi Dharmam"(Hail Hindu justice and fairness) comprising Jeers, Matathipathis, Sivachariars, and Hindu organisations and spiritua well wishers had held a meeting in Chennai to condemn the remarks of Vairamuthu recently.
Cases have also been filed against the poet in Chennai and Rajapalayam.

Andal, the only woman among the 12 revered Vaishnavite saints hailed as 'Alwars' in Tamil, is also venerated as a Goddess and a gifted poet in view of her classic Tamil work 'Thiruppavai,' in praise of Lord Krishna.
According to spiritual texts, she lived in the eighth century AD in Srivilliputhur.
Thiruppavai is a celebrated work in spiritual Tamil literature and is also part of the Vaishnavite "Divya Prabhantham (a collection of verses respected as sacred and in praise of Lord Narayana)
In his address at a literary event at Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu, Vairamuthu recently spoke about Andal and it was also published in a Tamil daily.

It led to outrage among devotees, who alleged that the lyricist had offended the Goddess and them conversely by making inappropriate and objectionable references to her.