DMK chief MK Stalin to Rajinikanth: Think before speaking on people like E V Ramasamy Periyar
21 January, 2020 | newsx bureau
Periyar row: The social media has been divided into two groups over Rajinikanth's controversial remark on Periyar.
Periyar row: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Wednesday criticised veteran actor Rajinikanth over his controversial comment on E V Ramasamy Periyar’s 1971 rally in Salem. Stalin said the actor should think twice before speaking on people like Periyar. The DMK chief also said that his friend Rajinikanth’s statements are not politically balanced because he is an actor and not a politician.
On January 14, Rajinikanth had created a stir after he told a gathering at the 50th-anniversary event of Tamil magazine Thuglak that Periyar took out a rally against superstition in which naked images of Lord Ramachandramoorthy and Sita were displayed at Salem in 1971. At the same time, the veteran actor said that no news outlet, except Cho Ramaswamy, the founder-editor of Thuglak, published and criticized the incident.
If we go by reports, the incident had taken place in 1971 when the DMK government headed by M Karunanidhi was at the helm of power in Tamil Nadu and the state govt seized copies of Tughlak magazine.
Periyar row: Rajinikanth rejected demands from the Dravidar Viduthulai Kazhagam (DVK) for his apology.
The controversial remark on the Father of the Dravidian Movement invited sharp criticisms while many parts of the politically sensitive Tamil Nadu witnessed massive protests. Periyar was a known social activist and politician who had started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam.
On Tuesday, Rajinikanth refused to apologise for his comment on E V Ramasamy Periyar’s 1971 rally in Salem. Speaking on protests over his remarks on Periyar, Rajinikanth said he did not say anything that did not occur. The actor said he can show people published stories in media.
The Dravidar Viduthulai Kazhagam (DVK) had sought an apology from Rajinikanth.
The social media has been divided into two groups over Rajinikanth’s controversial remark on Periyar. While some people said the DMK is unnecessarily dragging the actor’s daughter into this political controversy, some others said Rajinikanth is trying to gain more media mileage by doubling down on attack on Periyar.