Tamil Nadu BJP chief says Periyar worked for social justice

 BJP Tamil Nadu President L Murugan on Thursday hailed contributions of rationalist E V Ramasamy "Periyar" to social justice and said he has hesitation in extending its greetings on occasion of late leader's 142nd birth anniversary.
 

"We extend our greetings to everyone. re is second opinion that Periyar slogged for social justice. We have hesitation in extending our greetings to him," he told reporters here.

He was responding to a question on his party accusing DMK for t greeting people on "Ganesh Chaturthi" and why he has t extended his "greetings" on anniversary of late leader, who founded Dravida Kazhagam, an ideological inspiration for Dravidian parties, including ruling AIADMK and DMK.

Murugan's remark assumes significance since this is first time a BJP state unit chief has made a positive comment on Periyar, a rationalist, ted for his ideals aimed at uplifting oppressed sections of society and self-respect movement.While a number of senior BJP workers, who did t wish to be named viewed it as a "fresh thinking on social justice" that could help party, ors said Murugan's comment must t be viewed as an "endorsement" of Periyar's alleged anti- Hindu religious comments.

BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tiruptai told PTI: "We must t come to a conclusion that he has accepted ideology of EV Ramasamy (EVR). It was t a statement but reply to question of a journalist. His reply reflects culture, refinement and civilised behaviour of BJP people."

Also, he said, anyone in public life be it RSS workers or Communists, everyone worked to bring reforms in society in ir own way.
 

In same way, "EVR also worked" and Murugan's answer does t mean an endorsement to late leader's ideology, he stressed.

We have animosity towards anyone,Narayanan added.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, DMK president M K Stalin and a host of or leaders paid floral tributes to Periyar by garlanding his portrait on his birth anniversary at various locations.

BJP and its affiliates have often had verbal duels with Dravidian outfits over ideology of Periyar (1879- 1973), a social reformer and a rationalist. Speaking to journalists on sidelines of events to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, Murugan praised his party icon for his "stellar work," a string of Centre's welfare measures, and proposed construction of a temple for Lord Ram at Ayodhya.

He said Prime Minister houred sacrifices of party founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and fulfilled his dreams by removing Article 370 from Constitution. To a question on two-langu formula adopted by Tamil Nadu government, he said his party favoured learning any langu and t just two.

Parents, students and general public were for learning t just one or two langus but more as per ir requirement, he said.

(Im Credits:Twitter/Murugan_TNBJP)