Activists detained for spraying black paint on Modi's picture

CHENNAI: Three activists of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam has been detained by the police for spraying black paint onto Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture which was pasted by the BJP cadres on the 44th Chess Olympiad posters put up by the State government.

TPDK activists sprayed black paint on the Modi’s picture hours after the members of the BJP’s sports and skill development cell pasted Modi’s picture on billboards put up in Kotturpuram here as part of the State government's publicity campaign for the 44th Chess Olympiad. BJP cadres raised objections to the posters and billboards featuring only Chief Minister MK Stalin's images.

Interestingly, the Prime Minister will be inaugurating the 44th Chess Olympiad to be held at nearby Mamallapuram, starting on July 28 and ending on August 10.

BJP’s sports and skill development cell, state president Amar Prasad Reddy shared on his Twitter handle a video clip of him fixing photographs of Modi on hoardings, along with two others.

In the video, Reddy blamed the DMK government for going ahead with the campaign for the chess event without including Modi's photograph and termed it a 'huge mistake. ”The Olympiad is not a state-level event but are international tournament. This is not a DMK party function. This is a government (sponsored) event. Prime Minister's photograph must be featured, " he said in the video clip. He also urged office-bearers, party workers and those in the BJP's sports and skill development cell to emulate him and fix portraits of Modi on hoardings for the Chess Olympiad across Tamil Nadu.

Reacting to the Prime Minister's photo missing in the advertisements, DMK spokesperson R Rajiv Gandhi said that the State government made all efforts to hold the Chess Olympiad in Chennai and made all arrangements for it. “The State government has spent around Rs 100 crore to make an elaborate arrangement for the event. Narendra Modi was invited to the inaugural ceremony of the international competition as the PM of the country, ” he tweeted.