CHENNAI: Political parties paid floral tributes to Dravidian leader EV Ramasamy (Periyar) on his death anniversary on Tuesday.
DMK president MK Stalin along with party Lok Sabha floor leader TR Baalu, youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin and others paid floral tributes to a portrait of the leader on Anna Salai at Simpson Junction. VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan also paid homage there.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko and DK president K Veeramani paid tributes to the leader at Periyar Thidal, Vepery. PMK founder S Ramadoss garlanded the statue of Periyar at his residence, Thailapuram garden, Tindivanam in Villupuram district.
BJP deletes tweet after flak
Tamil Nadu BJP unit on Tuesday deleted an ‘offensive’ tweet on EV Ramasamy after facing a backlash.
When most parties were paying tributes to the leader on his 46th death anniversary, the post evoked sharp response even from one of its allies, PMK. Party founder S Ramadoss, tweeted saying that the post by “the BJP’s IT wing is disgusting.”
DMK leader MK Stalin asked whether AIADMK, which is also an ally of BJP, will react to this. Most political parties condemned the tweet.
After deleting the message, BJP’s official Twitter posted a photo of paying tributes to former Chief Minister MGR on the occasion of his death anniversary.
Meanwhile, Minister for Cooperation Sellur K Raju on Tuesday condemned the tweet in Madurai. He said Dravidian stalwarts like Periyar and Anna contributed much to Tamil Nadu’s development.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said, “Any offensive comment on Maniammai and Periyar is condemnable, regardless of who made it. Periyar was the founder of the Self-respect Movement that was taken forward by ‘Arignar’ Anna. Tamil Nadu will always be a Dravidian land.”
At a time when South Indian states stood divided on the basis of religion and caste, Dravidian stalwarts like Periyar, Anna, MG Ramachandran, and Kalaignar Karunanidhi unified Tamil Nadu and brought about developments in the State, he said.
He said that the AIADMK, as a Dravidian party, would condemn any comment that insults Periyar, regardless of who made it.
‘Why tweet was deleted’
CTR Nirmal Kumar, State president, IT and social media wing and ANS Prasad, convenor, Media Cell of BJP, said: “Since leaders of our alliance parties requested us to remove the tweet, it was deleted.”
Nirmal Kumar told reporters that those who criticised the tweet should not forget that umpteen number of times Hindu Gods had been abused using filthy language.
Minister Sellur K Raju condemns Tweet
Minister for Cooperation Sellur K Raju on Tuesday condemned the tweet in Madurai. He said Dravidian stalwarts like Periyar and Anna contributed much to Tamil Nadu’s development.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said, “Any offensive comment on Maniammai and Periyar is condemnable, regardless of who made it. Periyar was the founder of the Self-respect Movement that was taken forward by ‘Arignar’ Anna.”