By IANS
Lucknow : An effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is to go up in flames, along with that of mythological demon king Ravana to mark the Hindu festival of Dussehra in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, Oct 22.
A decision for this was taken by a few Dussehra committees in Allahabad, the city known for the 12-yearly Kumbh Mela, about 200 km from here.
Referring to Karunanidhi as “today’s Ravana”, Patharchatti Ramlila Committee joint secretary Abhay Awasthi told IANS: “Through his acts and utterances against Lord Ram, the Tamil Nadu chief minister has qualified himself as just another Ravana who deserves to be sent up in flames together with the traditionally known embodiment of evil.”
“We propose to burn Karunanidhi’s effigy along with that of Ravana to send the message loud and clear that any word against Lord Ram would not be tolerated at any cost,” he added.
The committee is currently busy distributing a booklet, specially brought out, to highlight Karunanidihi’s observations about the Sethusamudram project off the Tamil Nadu coast and his derogatory remarks against Hindu god Ram.
Allahabad Ramlila Committee chief Kapilmuni Kanwaria demanded “an apology from the Tamil Nadu chief minister for his remarks”.
Flatly refuting allegations that his anti-Karunanidhi campaign was politically motivated, Kanwaria told IANS: “It is high time realisation dawns on Karunanidhi and he makes amends, otherwise he will have to face the music. After all, even the Congress-led central government had to backtrack on the Sethu project because they realised that utterances against Ram would shake the foundations of the government.”