'DMK activists attack BJP headquarters in Chennai'
Chennai, Sept. 23 (PTI): The ongoing tussle between the saffron brigade and DMK over DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi's remarks, questioning the existence of Lord Rama, took a violent turn today with the DMK activists allegedly attacking the BJP headquarters here, ransacking the house of state BJP Vice-President H Raja at Karaikudi and destroying several BJP flag posts in different parts of Tamil Nadu.
The tussle intensified as the DMK workers went on a protest all over the state against the reported remark by former BJP MP, Ramvilas Vedanti, that Swamjis at Ayodhya would reward with gold those who beheaded Karunanidhi for his anti-Ram remarks.
DMK volunteers this morning went to Kamalayalam, the state BJP headquarters here and reportedly attacked it, pelted stones damaging windows of the office and vehicles there. Some of the ministers were also seen in the protest organised by the South Chennai unit of the DMK.
State BJP General Secretary and the daughter of Senior Congress leader Kumari Ananthan, Tamizhisai Soundarajan and some BJP men sustained minor injuries in the incident. DMK volunteers were said to have also attacked the Hindu Munnani office at Chindaripet here.
At Karaikudi, some miscreants attacked the house of state BJP Vice-President H Raja besides his relatives.
At Coimbatore, Effigies of Vedanti were burnt in several places, while in Kanyakumari many flag posts of BJP were destroyed. At Chennai attempts by Dalit Panthers of India leader Thirumavalavan to burn the effigy of BJP leader L K Advani and Vedanti were foiled by Police.
The BJP and the AIADMK demanded dismissal of the Karunanidhi government holding it responsible for today's attacks. State BJP leaders were waiting for their senior leaders like L Ganesan to arrive from Bhopal to meet the state Governor S S Barnala to submit a petition containing their demand.
AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha, condemning the attack, said in a statement, that the law and order situation in the state had detoriated and asked the Centre to disamiss the DMK government.
Karunanidhi, who tonight deputed Senior DMK leader Arcot N Veerasamy to New Delhi to apprise the Centre of the situation in the state, had instructed his party men not indulge in violence or hold any demonstration against the BJP.
He said the protest should be only to prevail the Centre for the early completion of the Rs 2,500 crore Sethu Samudram Project.
Karunanidhi told CNN-IBN television channel that he was more concerned about early completion of the project than its alignment. 'It was for the engineers to decide about the alignment', he said.
Vedanti denies issuing fatwa against Karunanidhi
DMK asks govt to take action against Vedanti
Not against realignment of Sethusamudram project, says TN CM
Baalu seeks Centre's intervention in Vedanti issue
Dismiss DMK govt, Jayalithaa asks Centre
DMK leader asks partymen to maintain restraint
DMK to protest for Sethusamudram, not against BJP: Karunanidhi
BJP asks Cong. to spell out its stand on Ram issue
