A day after Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Veeramani was booked for his remarks against Hindu deity Krishna, DMK chief MK Stalin reacted to the development, stating that the leader’s comments were taken out of context. Speaking to news agency ANI, Stalin said that Veeramani’s comments were being propagandised for elections by media outlets and RSS-like organisations. However, Stalin said Veeramani’s statement was taken out of context. At a recent meeting of the Dravidar Kazhagam, Veeramani was responding to an article in the Tamil weekly Tughlaq, which alleged that cultural decay began in the era of Tamil rationalist thinker Periyar.
“He (Veeramani) did not speak this at an election campaign. He spoke at Periyar Thidal, the headquarters of the Dravida Kazhagam. He did not speak with the intention to humiliate or insult. He has spoken giving some examples. But during election time, few media outlets and organisations like the RSS have portrayed it in a wrong way in order to take false propaganda to the people. This is a planned conspiracy. It is not true. If it had been true, I have already stated that it is wrong. As far as the DMK is concerned, if I have to state it clearly, it is Anna's principle of one race, one God. Even Kalaignar, in the film Parasakthi, would have clearly said in a dialogue, 'DMK's goal is not that temples should not be there; it is that temples should not become a haven for evil.’ That's the basis on which the DMK exists today.” Stalin said.
Citing a personal example, the DMK chief said, “90% of the DMK is Hindus only. To be even more explicit, my partner also goes to temples without fail in the morning and in the evening. I have never called her and said, 'Why are you going? Don't go. It is wrong' So it is a false propaganda for election, nothing else.”
At a meeting held at Periyar Thidal, the headquarters of the Dravidar Kazhagam recently, K Veeramani was discussing a March 27 article in the Tamil weekly Tughlaq which carried an image of Dravidar Kazhagam founder and rationalist social reformer Periyar above the headline, 'Reasons for cultural decay'.
The article had spoken about cultural decay beginning at the time of Periyar and alleged that the rationalist thinker’s speeches had led to bad consequences for society.
Countering the article, Veeramani spoke about the concept of chastity being unequal for men and women and how Periyar had pioneered gender equality. In that vein, he asked, "It is only because Periyar insisted on that belief (equality of genders), that women have bravely gone to schools, become aware, become educated and have come to occupy top positions. If not, how would their oppression be?” He then went on to compare Krishna to the accused in the Pollachi sexual assault and extortion case.
Veeramani was reportedly booked for these comments by the Central Crime Branch(CCB) based on complaints from the Hindu Makkal Katchi and Thirumoolar Thiruthondu, a religious outfit. According to The Hindu, Veeramani was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (Promoting enmity between classes), 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 298 (Uttering, words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person), 505 (1)(b), (Inducing any person to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility) and 505(1)(c)(statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes).