Veeramani appeals to DK volunteers to observe restraint

Chennai, Dec 8 (UNI) Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) President K Veeramani today apealed to its volunteers not to get agitated over the damage of Periyar statue at Srirangam yesterday and cause embarassment to the DMK government, which was taking all necessary steps to bring the culprits to book.

Asserting that the statue of the rationalist leader would be unveiled at the same spot near the Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple in Srirangam as scheduled on December 16, Mr Veeramani said in a statement here.

After the life-size statue was damaged by the activists of Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK), a group of people, allegedly belonging to the DK, had ransacked a mutt of the Sri Kamakoti Kamakshi Charities at Maravaneri in Salem.

The group, which had gathered before the mutt, tried to force their way inside after raising slogans against those who had damaged the Periyar statue. When the mutt authorities closed the main gate, the group managed entry through the backdoor and indulged in vandalism.

Alleging that the statue was damaged by the activists of Coimbatore and Srirangam based RSS and Hindu Munnani activists at the instigation of BJP, Mr Veeramani said a tense situation prevailed in the state following the incident and wanted DK volunteers to maintain calm and help the state to maintain law and order.

He said as Chief Minister M Karunanidhi himself was very much angry with the incident, he had ordered stern action against those who involved in the incident.

He asked the volunteers not get agitated and bring bad name to the government.

UNI WS AJ SK ND1512