By IANS
Chennai : Hundreds of Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK cadres, led by a minister and Chennai mayor, Sunday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office here after a former MP of the party declared he would weigh in gold anyone who beheaded Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
The protestors threw stones, smashed windowpanes, and cycles and scooters parked before the BJP office in crowded T. Nagar in the heart of the city and demanded the immediate arrest of pro-Hindutva leader and former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti, for his remarks in Ayodhya on Friday.
The agitators also burnt effigies of Vedanti, described as a senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) man, and shouted anti-BJP slogans. The DMK outfits, armed with black badges and flags, were led by Minister for Information Parthi Ilamvazhuthi and Mayor of Chennai M. Subramanian.
T. Thirumavalavan, leader of the Dalith Panthers of India, led a protest before the BJP office in Chennai and demanded the banning of the VHP and the BJP. Besides, a crowd threw stones at Kamalaya, the BJP office in the city.
In what is turning into an ugly, violent spat, the houses of BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit president H. Raja and his father-in-law were also attacked, allegedly by DMK workers, at Karaikudi in Sivaganga district. Windowpanes and some vehicles parked before the houses were damaged and the party flag destroyed.
Raja was not present in the house. Reports said, BJP men retaliated with stone throwing at the houses of DMK leaders in the neighbourhood.
Police said some DMK and BJP workers had been taken into custody in connection with the clashes.
On Saturday night, speaking at a gathering of schoolteachers, DMK president and chief minister Karunanidhi said he wasn’t afraid of the ‘fatwa’.
Karunanidhi loyalists at the meeting did not mince words about what they would do to “anyone who dared to threaten our leader”.
Minister Arcot Veersamy said: “Unless this reckless north Indian, belonging to a barbaric outfit, seeks pardon immediately, I will personally lead my party cadres to picket all the BJP offices across Tamil Nadu.”
Veerasamy stood up on the podium of the teachers’ event to say: “The VHP is a mob of murderers. Vedanti will face dire consequences if he does not withdraw his words against our Thalivar (leader).”
Another DMK leader, Thangam Thenarasu, told Karunanidhi: “We do not need minister’s posts. Just signal us with your eyes and we will wage a war for you.”
State Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi threatened, “We will not remain silent.”