PUDUCHERRY: Around 60 volunteers of Tamil outfits and social organisations were arrested on Saturday for staging protests, demanding the removal of Veer Savarkar's inscription on the tribute wall on Beach Road. The wall is being erected in 75 places across the country, including Puducherry, to mark the 75th year of Indian Independence.
The brick with the inscription was placed by L-G Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on the Tribute wall here recently. The protestors marched from Chinna Manikund on Lal Bahadur Shastri street towards Beach Road, when they were stopped by the police near the PWD head office. The volunteers raised slogans against Savarkar’s inclusion among 1,000 freedom fighters, stating that he had not contributed to the freedom struggle. The protestors also burnt his posters.
The volunteers were from 18 different organisations and included Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam State President Loku Ayyappan, Federation for People’s Rights Secretary G Sukumaran, Meenavar Viduthalai Vengaigal Mangaiyarselvan, Dravidar Kazhagam President Siva Veeramani, Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam President Veeramohan, Social Democratic Party of India (SDP) General Secretary Abdullah, Popular Front of India Barhaktullah, Dalit People's Padhukappu Iyakkam President Prakash Raja, UT Students Federation President Saminathan.