BJP national secretary H. Raja on Wednesday issued a clarification on the social media post that advocated removal of Dravidar Kazhagam founder Periyar E.V. Ramasamy's statues in Tamil Nadu.
Mr. Raja said the the post was published "without his permission".
The post was taken down on Tuesday evening.
"The admin of my page published the statement without my permission that all Periyar statues in the State should be removed. So I have removed the post," he said.
He further added in Tamil, "We should contest ideas with ideas, not with violence. It was not my intention to hurt anyone's feelings or sentiments. And if it did, I regret."
After the Facebook post, a Periyar statue in Tiruppattur was vandalised. Police have increased security for the late leader's statues across the State.
Security to be provided to protect Periyar statue at Central Bus Stand in Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit: A. Muralitharan
P. Muralidhar Rao, BJP general secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu, said in a statement: “BJP does not subscribe to any kind of provoking or disrespectful statements and actions of vandalism towards leaders like Periyar. We condemn outrightly those people who are indulging in such actions.”
In his post, Mr. Raja referred to the pulling down of a statue of Russian Communist leader Lenin in Tripura, where the BJP scored a massive victory in the Assembly elections, and said, “Today it is Lenin in Tripura, tomorrow in Tamil Nadu (it will be) casteist Periyar’s statue.”
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
Please Email the Editor