Responding to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s statement in the assembly holding the PMK responsible for the violence in Marakkanam and warning of stern action, PMK founder S Ramadoss said that the ruling AIADMK was taking an anti-PMK stand.
Squarely blaming the VCK cadres for the violence that broke out in Marakkanam in which several people were injured, Ramadoss told media persons here that the violence was a result of conspiracy by the VCK. Two persons died of road accidents during the unrest.
In the same breath, he also blamed the police for failing to take necessary action to prevent and control the violence and demanded the suspension of police officials, including Villupuram SP Manoharan. “Had they had taken proper action to disperse the protesters, the violence could have been averted,” Ramadoss said. “We will be staging a demonstration in Villupuram on Tuesday seeking to suspend SP Manoharan,” he added.
“VCK leader Thirumavalavan had been planning the violence for a week. He issued a statement on April 24 citing two deaths in Marakkanam in 2002 following a similar violence. That was not violence. The two were burnt alive in a car. VCK cadres from Pudur and Velachery were those who indulged in violence there. We have proof,” Ramadoss maintained.
Pointing fingers at the VCK, Ramadoss said that the party had been providing training to its members on how to burn down their own houses and to blame it on others. “Dalits will act it out with tears to convince anyone who listens to them,” he said. “At Dharmapuri, they claimed that they had lost Rs 5 crore worth of property and now, they claim that only Rs 15 lakh worth of property was damaged. We are affected by the violence. Two Vanniyars lost their lives. About 500 vehicles were damaged and several hundreds of people were injured. People from seven districts came in about 3,000 vehicles to attend the Youth Fest organised by the party at Mamallapuram. They did not even know that Marakkanam was dominated by Dalits,” he said.