Mahabharata over Ramayana; DMK vs. BJP

Sep 24: A row over Ram and Ram sethu has taken a serious turn, the verbal attack had turned into physical attack.

Karunanidhi’s comment on Rams existence was strongly attacked by BJP and VHP.

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A new controversy began when former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti reported to have issued fatwa against M. Karunanidhi for his alleged comment on Ram that he doesn’t exist.

However, Vedanti has denied the charges and said that media has twisted the story. He said that he had simply quoted the Bhagwat Gita on the punishment prescribed for blasphemy.

But DMK supporter protested the fatwa and ransacked the state BJP chief H Raja’s residence and Kamalayalam, the BJP headquarters in Chennai at T Nagar.

Some people get injured in the process including the general secretary Tamizhisai Sounderarajan who alleged that state police took no serious attempts to stop the mob.

Hundreds of DMK supporter assembled in response to a call given by the Electricity minister Arcot N Veerasamy. The minister said that no member of Sangh Parivar would be able to roam the streets of Tamil Nadu.

The protest turned violent when the protests flagged off by Information Minister Parithi Illamvazhuthi outside the BJP headquarter in T.Nagar.

G Kumaravel, BJP state vice-president accused Ilamvaruthi of “overseeing” the demonstration outside the BJP office.

Veerasamy, on his part, issued a statement, saying his leader, Karunanidhi, had “sternly warned” against any such agitation. “It is not proper for those entrusted with the task of protecting law and order to resort to such agitations,” Veerasamy quoted Karunanidhi as saying. “But I told him it would be difficult to restrain party men and that they should be allowed to vent their anger through peaceful demonstrations. Our leader has agreed,” he said, urging party men to give up picketing and hold peaceful demonstrations.

Meanwhile, in a show of solidarity with the DMK, activists of the Dalit Panthers of India led by its leader Thol Tirumavalavan, set fire to an effigy of Vedanti in Chennai.

This latest attack may be an act of retaliation after last week's attack on DMK Chief Karunanidhi's daughter's house in Bangalore.

Police confirmed that after the attack by DMK protesters, the BJP activists attacked the homes of former DMK ministers and a leader in Karaikudi in retaliation.

This attack has been criticized by the BJP president Rajnath Singh calling the attack as an act of fascism. He said that BJP has not supported the Vedanti’s fatwa.

AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa asked Centre to dismiss the Karunanidhi government because of the failed law and order situation in Tamil Nadu. She said “Karunanidhi, as a Chief Minister, was duty-bound to maintain law and order but today’s incidents have shown that he had not”.

In the meantime, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said that he is open to considering realignment of the Sethusamudram Project.