Chennai
oi-Ashish Rana
Tamil Nadu leader of Opposition and DMK Youth Wing Secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin has slammed the police for refusing permission for rallies planned to mark the birth anniversaries of Periyar E V Ramasamy and C N Annadurai, popularly known as Anna.
Tamil Nadu police denied rally permissions for Periyar and Anna’s birth anniversaries in Gudiyattam and Erode, citing traffic and festival reasons; Opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin asked CM M K Stalin to allow the events.
Anna Rally Permission Denied in Gudiyattam
DMK workers in Gudiyattam had sough the permission to hold a procession on 15 September to makr Anna’s 118th birth anniversary, the rally was planned from old bus stand to Anna statue.
However, the local police rejected this request. The officials cited reason for possible traffic problems and Vinayagar Chaturthi procession scheduled at the same time.
Periyar Rally Also Stopped in Erode
A similar situation came at Erode also where Dravidar Kazhagam had planned an awareness rally on 17 September to mark Periyar’s birth anniversary. The police also denied permission for the event, again citing the issues of traffic and arrangements related to festival period.
Periyar was born on 17 September 1879, and was one of Tamil Nadu’s most influential social reforms. He was the founder of Dravidar Kazhagam and played a major role in the state’s Dravidian movement. Anna who was founded DMK party also became Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister later.
Udhayanidhi Questions Government
Now reacting to police decisions on X, Udhayanidhi Stalin slammed the police department and question whether the department still come under direct control of Chief Minister or had been given up to right wing forces.
He also pointed out that according to him, right-wing organisations were allowed to hold their programmes while rallies for Periyar and Anna were denied permissions.
Udhayanidhi demanded that Chief Minister M K Stalin immediately allow both rallies. He said the people were closely watching the government’s actions and its attitude towards such events.
