Last week, the Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai declared in Srirangam that if his party is voted to power, its first task would be to remove the statues of those who denounced God and the plaques containing inscriptions against God placed near temples.
He said these statues would be replaced with those of Alwars and Nayanars, essentially saint poets and devotees of Lord Shiva and those of Tamil scholars and freedom fighters.
Although Annamalai did not name ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy, the founder of Dravida Kazhagham, it was very obvious he was referring to him. Periyar had declared, ‘There is no God’ and said ‘He who invented God is a fool’.
Why did Annamalai bring this up in Srirangam? What is the Periyar statue controversy? What have the courts said on the issue?
Script and presentation: D. Suresh Kumar
Production: Shibu Narayan
Videography: S. Shiva Raj
