Tamil Nadu   

Tension mounts as DMDK activists raise a banner of revolt in Villupuram

A.V. Ragunathan

Municipal operation of removing hoardings meets with resistance

— Photo: A.V. Raghunathan

STIRRING A HORNET'S NEST: A portrait of DMDK leader Vijayakant donning the garb of different leaders, put up at Villupuram to mark his birthday celebrations scheduled for Friday

VILLUPURAM: Tension prevailed over the removal of banners of political parties and commercial establishments here on Thursday. Municipal staff dismantled all banners put up at prominent places, at road junctions and on the highways.

When the civic staff were trying to remove digital banners of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam erected for celebrations of its leader Vijayakant's birthday falling on Friday, the partymen led by its district president L. Venkatesan put up a stiff resistance.

Mr. Venkatesan told The Hindu that the partymen asked Municipal Commissioner Mehbooba to spare the banners, at least till the fete was over. However, the Commissioner did not give in. Soon, a posse of policemen was deployed but the partymen stood their ground. Revenue Divisional Officer Kathiravan tried to pacify them. After a long discussion, official consent was given to the DMDK on condition that it could keep banners only at five places and they must be removed by Friday night. Meanwhile, another controversy arose over the portrait of Mr. Vijayakant in the garb of prominent leaders such as Bharathiar, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Lal Bhadur Sastri and V.O. Chidambaram.

Certain Congress leaders objected to it, saying that it is belittling the stature of the illustrious leaders.

Mr. Venkatesan said there was nothing wrong in recalling the selfless services rendered by those leaders and it was through actors like Mr. Vijayakant that their heroic deeds could be made popular. He said the political banners had remained untouched for over 100 days, ever since the May Assembly elections.

The timing of the removal made the partymen suspect the motive behind such a move, and it must have been done at the instigation of ruling partymen, he added.

District-wide operation

When contacted, Collector Ashish Chatterji said it was not a sudden move, as notices had already been issued to the political parties and commercial establishments to remove the banners within a timeframe.

The operation would be carried out in all taluk headquarters for the next three or four days, and later on, would be done in other leading towns, Mr. Chatterji added.

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