PUDUKKOTTAI: A life-size statue of rationalist leader and Dravidian movement founder E V Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, was found vandalised at Aranthangi in the district Monday, police said.
The incident triggered an outrage with the Tamil Nadu government joining the opposition parties in condemning the act, while assuring action against the culprits.
The statue of Periyar located near the government hospital in Aranthangi town was found with the head dislodged and lying on the ground, police said.
Local leaders of the Dravidar Kazhagam noticed the damage caused to the statue Monday morning and informed police, demanding that the culprits be arrested immediately.
Officials said steps were being taken to repair the statue.
Periyar, who launched the self-respect movement in the state, was a staunch atheist and had founded the Dravidar Kazhagam, the parent organisation of the DMK.
Condemning the incident, state Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, in Chennai, said, "This is not at all acceptable. Whoever did this, action will be taken against them." DMK president M K Stalin tweeted, "Not only should stern action be taken against whoever be the destructive forces which acted with the intention to disturb peace during election time, but they should be crushed with an iron fist."
Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) leader K Veeramani, MDMK founder Vaiko and AMMK's TTV Dhinakaran also condemned the incident.
"Periyar statues are not mere stones, but an inspiration," Veeramani said in a statement.
Vaiko said that those who "cannot break" Periyar's ideology were damaging his statues and urged the government to take strong action against those behind the desecration.
Dhinakaran alleged that attempts were being made to derive political mileage by targeting Periyar statues at the time of election.
"Those responsible for (the desecration) should be punished," he tweeted.