Tamil Nadu: Periyar statue vandalised in Pudukkottai

Chennai, Apr 8: A statue of social activist and politician EV Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, was on Monday morning found vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai district. Periyar is revered personality in Tamil Nadu, and this particular statue was near Aranthangi in Pudukkottai district.

The police have began a probe into matter.

This is not the first time that Periyar's statue has come under attack. Last year (2018) in March, a Periyar statue was vandalised in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. Two men, who were allegedly drunk, damaged the glasses and the nose of the statue. Both were arrested.

In September last year, Periyar was found to be vandalised in Tamil Nadu's Tirupur. Residents of Tirupur, who were celebrating the 140th birthday of Periyar and had plans to garland to the statue were in an utter shock to see Periyar statue vandalised. The miscreants had also chiselled a few parts from the statue's head and placed a pair of slippers atop it.

Erode Venkata Ramasamy, commonly known as Periyar, was a social activist, and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He propagated the principles of rationalism, self-respect, women's rights and eradication of caste. He opposed the exploitation and marginalisation of the non-Brahmin Dravidian people.