Chennai: AIADMK deposed leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O. Panneerselvam (OPS) on Wednesday requested Chief Minister M. K. Stalin to take stringent action against filmmaker Pa Ranjith’s assistant director, Vidhuthalai Sigappi aka Vigneswaran for allegedly insulting Hindu gods.
The former Chief Minister in a three page statement on Twitter posted, “Ever since the DMK government came to power, the denigration of religion and religious gods has been going on in complete violation of the Indian constitution. All people living in India are given the right to freedom of religion. There is no restriction for people to worship. But defamation of any religion is not acceptable under the Constitution. No one has the right to insult a particular religion. If one speaks disparagingly or insulting a particular religion stating it is an opinion, the government has the duty and responsibility to take legal action against him.”
He further said, “Last year in Chidambaram and Cuddalore, a video was circulated on YouTube with derogatory remarks against the world famous Thillai Nataraja. More than 2000 Sivanadiyar, a group of Shaivate monks, protested against it. Condemning this, on behalf of AIADMK, I issued a statement and urged the Honourable Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to take action against those who published such videos to create religious conflicts.”
OPS said, “Vigneswaran alias Viduthalai Sigappi spoke in a programme insulting the epic Ramayana and Hindu gods like Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman whom people worship. This is going viral on social media and this is highly condemnable. This is completely against the principle of Arignar Anna. A complaint has been lodged with the city police. AIADMK strongly opposes any such insulting speech to the people of any religion. Such activities tend to undermine law and order, religious harmony and create religious conflicts.”
OPS requested Chief Minister Stalin to immediately intervene in the matter and take strict legal action against those who “insulted” Hindu gods and ensure that such incidents do not happen in future.
On Tuesday, Vigneswaran was booked by the Chennai police on a complaint alleging that the Assistant Director had insulted Hindu gods and goddesses while reciting a poem at the Vaanam arts festival, organised by Director Ranjith’s Neelam Cultural centre.
However, reacting to the charge, Ranjith said: “Sigappi’s speech was about deaths caused by mannual scavenging. When he said whether the deaths would be noticed if Gods were to undergo similar ordeal, it was said to stress on the point that system turns blind eye to the deaths of underprivileged. The police have succumbed to pressure from fascist groups.”
(IANS)
