Thiruvalluvar statue near Thanjavur desecrated

Unidentified persons had splashed mud on the face and cheeks of the statue, shocking locals when they noticed it in the morning

A statue of Tamil savant Thiruvalluvar found desecrated at Pillayarpatti near Thanjavur

A statue of Tamil savant Thiruvalluvar was found desecrated at Pillayarpatti near Thanjavur on Monday morning.

Unidentified persons had splashed mud on the face and cheeks of the statue, shocking locals when they noticed it in the morning. An alert was sounded to the police and the slush was removed, said police sources.

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The statue, made of cement and installed by Valluvar Kula Sangam, was inaugurated in 2005 in Pillaiyarpatti.

The Tamil University Police are investigating.

The incident comes in the backdrop of the BJP State unit facing flak for saffronising Thiruvalluvar. The BJP State unit, while hailing the release of the Thai translation of Tirukkural (penned by Thiruvalluvar) in Bangkok on Saturday had tweeted a portrait of the poet depicting him wearing saffron robes, as opposed to white robes.

On Sunday, DMK president M.K. Stalin had urged the BJP to desist from painting Thiruvalluvar saffron. He said the party should read Thiruvalluvar's works and change its attitude.

Several BJP leaders, including party's national secretary H. Raja, defended the saffron robes and continued to tweet the same image.