BJP, VCK cadres clash in Thanjavur over Ambedkar statue garlanding

TIRUCHY: Tension prevailed in Thanjavur for some time after an altercation erupted between the BJP and the VCK cadre over garlanding the statue of Dr Ambedkar in view of his death anniversary on Tuesday. Police arrested cadres of both parties, while security has been provided to the statue.

The Adi Tamilar Pathukappu Peravai and Dr Ambedkar Trust, which have been functioning on Nanjikottai Road in Thanjavur, have installed a seven-foot tall statue of Dr Ambedkar and the Peravai has been maintaining it for several years.

In such a backdrop, cadres from various political parties made a beeline to garland the statue of the leader in view of his 66th death anniversary.

When the BJP state vice president Karuppu M Muruganandam, along with Thanjavur south district president Jai Sathish and cadre, went to garland the statue, VCK functionaries, including Thanjavur district secretary Chokka Ravi and members of a few Dalit organisations, prevented the BJP cadre and raised slogans against the national party.

However, BJP members, claiming that the statue has been installed in a public place, insisted that they would certainly honour the leader and attempted to proceed towards the statue. Since the VCK and Dalit outfit members continued to resist, the BJP cadre sat on the road and staged a protest blocking vehicle movement. This led to tension in the area.

DSP (Thanjavur Town) PN Raja along with a team rushed to the spot and held talks with BJP members. As the talks failed to yield a solution, BJP members again attempted to garland the statue.

VCK and Dalit outfit members refused to move away from the statue and this triggered an altercation between both the groups.

SP G Ravali Priya, who came to the spot, asked both the groups to disperse from the spot. Since her instruction evoked no response from them, police arrested as many as 70 BJP members and 15 VCK cadre. Subsequently, a CCTV camera was fixed at the spot and police protection was increased. Traffic was not allowed through the stretch till 1.30 pm due to the row.