MADURAI: Tension prevailed in New Jail Road in the city on Tuesday night after cadres of saffron outfits objected to Left-party cadres replacing a damaged Periyar bust with a larger bust. Traffic movement was disrupted in the area and a large posse of police has been deployed as a precaution.
The issue revolved around a damaged 0.5ft Periyar bust made of stone.
Cadres of CPM, DMK, and CITU replaced the figure with a 3-ft Periyar bust made of fiberglass, according to Melaponnagaram CPM area secretary.
He noted that the issue had come up days before Periyar’s birth anniversary and on the day of former CM CN Annadurai’s birth anniversary.
However, the cadres from saffron outfits such as the Hindu Munnani and the BJP objected to this and demanded that the new bust be removed from the place.
To counter the Left groups, sources said that the Hindu outfits put a new Vinayagar statue at a temple near the Periyar bust. However, the Vinayagar statue was removed by the police.
With tension continuing, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shiva Prasad held a peace talk with the cadres from both sides.
The Left party cadres agreed to get permission before installing the new bust. Following this, the new Periyar bust was replaced by the old bust at the spot.