Vaiko prevented from visiting Kauvery Hospital, chased away by DMK cadre

Police sources, however, played down the incident saying that there were no untoward incident but he was disallowed from entering the hospital. “There was no attack. When the mob protested against him visiting Karunanidhi, he returned,” a senior police official said.

However, sources told DTNext that the DMK supporters, who had come to Kaveri hospital to know the status of their leader’s health, turned abusive seeing Vaiko and even hurled slippers at him. Vaiko did not get out of his vehicle and other DMK leaders were seen trying to pacifying the angry supporters. 

DMK cadre, who called Vaiko a traitor, rushed to his vehicle while hurling abuses. Sensing the situation, some leaders told Vaiko it is better not to get down from the vehicle and requested him to return. The angry mob kept on hurling slippers at Vaiko’s vehicle.

Sources said Vaiko’s conduct during the last Assembly elections, who reportedly was instrumental in dragging Vijayakanth to the People’s Welfare Front (PWF), had been the main reason for DMK cadre’s angst against him. DMK still believe that Vijayakanth’s move to PWF had scuttled the hope of DMK and resulted in the marginal defeat of the party. Since then DMK had been terming Vaiko as a traitor. 

It should be noted that All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader Thambidurai had visited Karunanidhi at the hospital along with his family and the DMK cadre had accorded a warm welcome to him at the hospital. “AIADMK could be our political rival but they had come to enquire about our leader’s health. So we can accept them but not a traitor like Vaiko who had backstabbed our leader,” an angry DMK cadre said. 

Meanwhile DMK spokesperson, TKS Elangovan said that Stalin had asked him to receive Vaiko. Elangovan said that some unfortunate incidents had happened before he could come down to receive Vaiko. “We, including Stalin regret the incident,” he added.