TIRUCHY: Terming a remark made by DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran about the Vanniyar Sangam protests as 'false and defamatory', the Sangam's functionary Vaithilingam sent him a legal notice demanding an unconditional apology in public.
Vaithilingam, a native of the Ariylaur district, is the Sangam's state secretary.
The notice issued by Vaithilingam's advocate K Balu on his behalf referred to a press meet in Salem on December 21. At the meeting, responding to a question on the PMK and Vanniyar Sangam protests demanding 20 per cent reservation, Maran said that they were held only for political gains.
He was quoted saying that the PMK couldn’t care less about the welfare of the Vanniyar community and the party’s agitation was not genuine.
In the notice, Vaithilingam alleged that this comment was defamatory towards the efforts of Vanniyar leaders, including PMK founder S Ramadoss, tarnishing their image and struggles from the 1980s to win reservation for their community.
Maran was asked to tender an apology before the electronic and print media for the statements he made in Salem and to refrain from making such statements against the Sangam and its leaders in the future. If he failed to do so, the notice said, Maran would risk facing legal proceedings, including criminal prosecution.