Seeman targeting Periyar only to grab attention, says CPI's Mutharasan

CHENNAI: CPI state secretary R Mutharasan on Tuesday hit out at Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman for targeting rationalist leader Periyar and said that it is being done to show his presence in politics.

Addressing the media on his visit to Erode to campaign for DMK candidate VC Chandhirakumar in the bypoll, Mutharasan said Seeman had praised Periyar in the past. “Ten years ago, he praised Periyar more than the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) leader K Veeramani. But now Seeman talks low of Periyar to show off himself as a leader,” he said.

On the issue of fishermen facing frequent attacks by the Sri Lankan navy, Mutharasan said the central government should hold talks with the new government in the island nation to arrive at a permanent solution to the issue.

Hitting out at Governor RN Ravi for behaving like a politician instead of a Constitutional head, the Communist leader said he continues to be in office, even though there was no news on his extension of tenure as gubernatorial head. He hinted that it showed that his tenure in the State Raj Bhavan had ended. Mutharasan, however, welcomed Governor RN Ravi’s remarks that a person from the Adi-Dravidar community should become Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Further, Mutharasan said no debates are happening in the parliament, and only views expressed by BJP MPs are taken into the record. He also sought the court for a review of its judgment to remove flag poles of political parties in public places.