Protests across Tamil Nadu against desecration of Periyar statue

The Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and the TPDK are conducting protests across Tamil Nadu against the desecration of a statue of Periyar, the father of the Dravidian movement, at Vellalore in Coimbatore.

The desecration took place on Saturday night after 10 p.m., police said.

Dravidar Kazhagam president, K Veeramani has said that the party is conducting protest marches across the state and added that the Covid protocol is being followed.

He said that people in batches of three to five people were protesting, holding placards and getting arrested adhering strictly to the Covid protocol announced by the state government.

While speaking to IANS, the DK leader said, "We are conducting protests in a symbolic manner against the regular desecration of the statues of Thanthai Periyar. If we don't respond this will continue and the government of the day must act strongly against the perpetrators of this crime."

On Sunday morning it was found that a statue of Periyar or E.V. Ramsamy was found sprinkled with saffron powder and garlanded with a chain of chappals. With the lockdown on Sunday and night curfew after 10 p.m., there were not many people around who could have seen the desecration of the statue.

CCTV visuals have revealed the presence of a person near the statue, according to the Podanur police.

K. Ramakrishnan, President of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam while speaking to IANS said, "The desecration of the statue of Periyar at Vellalore in Coimbatore is not a single phenomenon. Of late there have been several instances of people showing disrespect to the statue of Periyar and we cannot lay low and take this any more against the greatest social reformer of Tamil Nadu."

Police have arrested and removed the protestors from Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Salem, Erode, Madurai, Chennai central, Tirunelveli, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and other districts of Tamil Nadu.