Amid row over Rajinikanth's remark, Periyar statue vandalised in TN village
A statue of Dravidian ideologue Periyar EV Ramasamy was vandalised by unidentified miscreants in Kaliyapatti village of Chengalpattu in Tamil Nadu on Friday (January 24).
Reports said, residents found the statue’s face and right hand in a damaged condition on Friday.
Police have begun investigation into the vandalism.
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The incident comes days after actor Rajinikanth while speaking at the 50th anniversary of Tamil magazine Thuglak in Salem, said Periyar in 1971 took out rallies displaying undressed figurines of Lord Ram and his consort Sita wearing garland of sandals.
The remarks sparked a controversy with several Dravidian outfits asking the actor to render his apology. Rajinikanth, however, refused to apologise.
“What I spoke became a controversy. But I only said what I read in the Hindu and Outlook. So I’ll not apologise for what I said,” he told media later while showing copies of the same publication.