Activists of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) took to the streets in Tamil Nadu today to protest against the alleged remarks made by Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ram Vilas Vedanti for beheading DMK chief M Karunanidhi for the latters remarks on Lord Ram, even as Vedanti denied having issued any fatwa.
Coimbatore (TN), Sept 23 : Activists of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) took to the streets in Tamil Nadu today to protest against the alleged remarks made by Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ram Vilas Vedanti for beheading DMK chief M Karunanidhi for the latter's remarks on Lord Ram, even as Vedanti denied having issued any 'fatwa'.
Vedanti today said that he had simply quoted the religious books on the punishment prescribed for blasphemy.
On Friday, Vedanti reportedly said that if any one presents him the head of Karunanidhi, he would reward the person with gold, silver and money equal to his weight.
Shouting anti-VHP slogans, DMK activists burnt an effigy of Vedanti and said that they will continue to protest until he apologised for his statement.
"We condemn this (Vendanti's remarks) and we will continue the protest," said Stanely, a DMK activist.
Earlier today, DMK activists led by State Information Minister Paruthi Ellamvazhuthi ransacked Chennai office of the Bharatiya Janata Party, while protesting against the remarks made by Vedanti.
The Tamil Nadu Police has arrested around 700 DMK members in this connection.
Chief Minister Karunanidhi, a self claimed atheist, had recently said the existence of Lord Ram was a fallacy as tall as the Himalayas.
His comments have irked Hindu groups, already up in arms against the Central government, over the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project.
A row erupted after the Centre filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court in connection with the Sethusamudram Project, which said that there was no historical evidence to establish the existence of Lord Rama or other characters in Ramayana.
The government had to backtrack on the affidavit the next day following vociferous protests. The government sought three months time from the apex court to file an amended affidavit.
Meanwhile, VHP activists gathered at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat to espouse their cause for Lord Ram.
"Our demonstration is to take on the government, who on one hand follows Mahatma Gandhi who was a great believer of Lord Ram and on the other hand is supporting insult to the Lord. They should first remove 'Hey Ram' written at Gandhiji's memorial and then speak about scientific basis of Ram's relevance," said Surendra Nath, a VHP activist.
"We demand a written apology of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Ram is not just the belief of the Hindus but of the whole of India," Nath added.
Hindu groups have called on the government to stop the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, saying it would demolish the mythical bridge linking India and Sri Lanka, believed to have been built by Lord Ram.
Opposing the 560 million dollars project, they say it would destroy the Ram Setu, a 48-kilometer chain of limestone shoals that once linked Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to Mannar in Sri Lanka.
ANI