TN BJP sacks functionary for vandalising Periyar statue

The BJP's Tamil Nadu unit today sacked a party functionary for allegedly vandalising a statue of rationalist leader E V Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, in Tirupattur in Vellore district.

"R Muthuraman is being expelled from the party," BJP state chief Tamilisai Soundarrajan said in a brief statement.

Muthuraman was one of the two persons arrested by police for allegedly vandalising a bust-size statue of Ramasamy, in an inebriated condition, the other was identified as Francis.

Meanwhile, the CPI said Francis is not a party activist.

Francis was not a member of the party nor was he connected to it, CPI state unit secretary R Mutharasan said.

Police yesterday said that Muthuraman was suspected to be a BJP worker and Francis was believed to be a CPI activist.

The two allegedly vandalised a statue of Ramasamy in an inebriated state.

The incident follows a row over comments made by BJP leader H Raja indicating that statues of Ramasamy could be the next to be pulled down after two statues of communist icon Vladimir Lenin was razed in Tripura.

As the remarks in a Facebook post against Ramasamy, the founder of the Dravidian movement, drew condemnation from several political parties in the state, Raja deleted it.

BJP's state unit has distanced itself from the issue, saying it was Raja's view.