Sabarimala issue: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi says BJP should withdraw bandh call

Stating that it is not proper on the part of Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) to organize a bandh in Puducherry on Sabarimala issue on Monday when Karaikal region is reeling under the devastation meted out by Gaja Cyclone, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) on Saturday  urged the party to withdraw it  and  concentrate on providing relief to the affected people.

Talking to news persons, VCK General Secretary Ravikumar said the traders and industrialists were exhorted to donate liberally for the relief works and with their help only the people could be provided with relief.

At this point, it will not be fair to ask them to down their shutters, Mr Ravikumar added.

He said 'every party got  their own right to call for a bandh, but the right time should be chosen. It seems, that BJP had called the  bandh at the time of cyclone, by having some ulterior motives', he added.

He said when Puducherry is being affected by calamities, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre never came forward to help. When 100 percent help is sought it will provide only one or two percent, he said, adding that during the Vardha cyclone, Tamil Nadu sought an assistance of  Rs 21,000 crore and received only  Rs 210 crore.

He demanded that Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan should take steps to get Central Assistance for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. However,  he went to Sabarimala and allegedly created problems resulting in agitations in Kanyakumari  and Nagarcoil.

He said the bandh call on the Sabarimala issue is not having any relevance as far as Puducherry is concerned and added that the traders and industrialists should  understand this.

Review petitions filed on the Sabarimala issue is with the Supreme Court and it is not  proper for the BJP to organized the bandh and it should  wait till the order is out on it and act accordingly, Mr  Ravikumar said.