Activists belonging to the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK), protesting on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, ransacked the Sri Aurobindo Ashram here on Thursday afternoon. The activists rushed to the ashram premises after beating up a security guard on duty and threw the flower pots and destroyed the plants kept close to the samadhis of Saint Aurobindo and The Mother. The mob also ransacked the ashram office. Twenty activists were arrested in connection with the attack.
During the time of attack, the ashram was closed for devotees. The protesters shouted slogans against the ashram and destroyed the notice board kept at the entrance.
The activists threw stones at the window panes and destroyed the lotus emblem at the entrance of the ashram. Police personnel led by Grand Bazaar sub inspector P K Sajith rushed to the ashram within a few minutes and secured one of the leaders of the activists and put him in a police vehicle.
By the time, inspector Angappan also joined the police personnel and activists, including leaders Veeramohan and Ilango, were also taken to the police van. Later, police confirmed that 20 TDPK activists were arrested for ransacking the ashram.
A few of the visitors, including some foreigners, were turned away by the security guards. One of the ashram officials on condition of anonymity told Express that the activists might have been misled by some elements which resulted in the incident. The ashram official also said that they would co-operate with the police and added that the law would take its course.
One of the activists told Express during the protest, which lasted for 15 minutes, that they were agitating against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s reported comments.
It may be recalled that the Trinamool Congress leader had said, “Our party supports the cause of the Tamil brothers and sisters. We are deeply concerned about the atrocities meted out to a section of Tamil population in a foreign country. Local sentiments and their causes sometimes become very critical. We are supporting their cause. At the same time, our party follows a policy that we should not interfere in issues involving external relations with foreign countries. We leave it to the Centre to decide on such issues. However, the concerns of the state and the sentiments of the people must be kept in view by the Centre, before taking any decision pertaining to foreign countries.”
Superintendent of Police (North) S Ramaraj said cases were registered against TDPK activists under various sections of the IPC relating to unlawful assembly, causing hurt and damage to property.