Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam on Thursday hit out at BJP leader H Raja for his comment against 'Periyar' statues which triggered a row in Tamil Nadu. Panneerselvam, who is also the AIADMK coordinator, described Raja's claim that his comment on a social media post were uploaded by his administrator as "ridiculous and unacceptable." Hailing the rationalist leader as a great revolutionary, the deputy chief minister said Raja should seek a "public apology." Expressing regret on March 6, Raja had said the comment in his Facebook page, indicating that Periyar's statues will meet the fate of Communist icon Lenin's statue in Tripura, was posted by his administrator and it was deleted. To a question on action against Raja, Panneerselvam said action will be considered after looking into the genuineness of the BJP leader's statement that the post was uploaded by his administrator. Condemning Raja's comment, Palaniswami, the AIADMK co-coordinator, said "Periyar is Tamil Nadu's treasure." Later, in a party release, the duo said since Raja's remark was tantamout to slighting the rationalist leader, entire Tamil Nadu was on the boil. Thoughts of those who try to create confusion and benefit from it will not succeed, they said. "The hearts of Tamil Nadu people are wounded and the hearts of people adoring Periyar are broken," (by Raja's comment), the party said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah have spoken against disrespecting statues of leaders, they said. "Tamil Nadu people and the AIADMK are not prepared to accept any insult to Periyar. We are followers of Periyar," they said. Stating that some were looking at Periyar as only an atheist, the AIADMK leaders said Tamil society did not do so as the late leader slogged for a societal renaissance, and for the uplift of the oppressed people. That Tamil Nadu continued to be a haven of peace even when some states witnessed communal strife was due to the leader's reformist, egalitarian ideology, they said.
