Take strict action against those who insult Hindu Gods: OPS

CHENNAI: Hitting at the recent Pa Ranjith's assistant director Viduthalai Sigappi aka Vigneshwaran's speech, former chief minister and ousted AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam on Wednesday insisted that strict action should be taken against those who insult Hindu Gods.

Taking to his official Twitter handle with a three-page statement, he wrote, "Ever since the DMK government came to power, the denigration of religion and religious Gods has been going on in complete violation of the Indian Constitution. All the people living in India are given the right to freedom of religion. There is no restriction for people to worship all devotees individually with faith in one mind. But, defamation of any religion is not acceptable under Indian Constitution. No one has the right to insult a particular religion. If one speaks disparagingly on insulting a particular religion stating it as an opinion, the government has the duty and responsibility to take legal action against him." (sic)

"During Amma's regime, the situation was such that, no people from one particular religion were allowed to insult another person from different religion. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this became an importance for the State to remain in peace during Amma's reign."

"Last year in Chidambaram and Cuddalore, a video was circulated on YouTube with derogatory remarks against the world-famous Lord Thillai Nataraja. More than 2000 Sivanadiyar, a group of Shaivite monks protested against it. Condemning this, on behalf of the AIADMK, I issued a statement and urged the Hon'ble Chief Minister M K Stalin to take action against those who published such videos to create religious conflicts."

"Vigneshwaran alias Viduthalai Sigappi spoke in a programme insulting the epic Ramayana and the Hindu Gods like Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, and Hanuman, whom people worship. This is going viral on social media and is highly condemnable. This is completely against the principle of Arignar Anna. Various organisations have condemned his speech. A complaint has also been lodged with the city police. AIADMK will strongly oppose any such insulting speech to the people of any religion. Such activities tend to undermine Law and Order, religious harmony and create religious conflicts."

The ousted AIADMK leader requested the CM to immediately intervene in this matter and take strict legal action against those who insulted Hindu Gods and ensure that such incidents do not happen in the near future.

On Tuesday, Chennai Police booked popular Tamil filmmaker Pa Ranjith's assistant director Vigneshwaran alias Viduthalai Sigappi based on a complaint alleging that the assistant director insulted Hindu Gods, while reciting a poem at the Vaanam Arts Festival, organised by Pa Ranjith's Neelam Cultural centre. The festival was held throughout April in honour of Dalit History Month.

Viduthalai Sigappi was giving a speech about manual scavenging deaths and to drive home the point about the system’s blind eye towards the deaths of the underprivileged while being engaged in manual scavenging, he had remarked whether the deaths would get notice if the Gods are put through a similar ordeal while reciting a poem, according to a statement from Neelam Cultural Centre. The core idea of the poem was to highlight the ills of manual scavenging. Instead of that being given attention, unsavoury forces have given a religious colour to it and diverted the issue, the statement added.

In response to the FIR, filmmaker Ranjith took to social media and expressed his condemnations for the police succumbing to pressure from fascist groups.