Udhayanidhi questions denial of permission for Periyar, Anna birth anniversary rallies

Chennai: Tamil Nadu’s Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday strongly criticised the police for denying permission for rallies planned by his DMK and other parties to commemorate the birth anniversaries of social reformer Thanthai Periyar E.V. Ramasamy and former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai.

In a social media post, Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned why the police had refused permission for the events while reportedly allowing rallies organised by right-wing groups in the state.

He urged the government to reconsider the decision and immediately grant approval for the programmes.

According to him, the DMK had planned to organise a rally in Erode, the birthplace of Periyar, on September 17 to mark the social reformer’s birth anniversary.

Another rally was proposed at Gudiyatham to commemorate the birth anniversary of Annadurai, popularly known as ‘Perarignar Anna’.

The Gudiyatham programme was to be organised by the DMK along with several other political parties. Udhayanidhi Stalin described the denial of police permission as unacceptable and alleged that the government was applying different standards while deciding which political and social organisations could conduct public processions.

He asked why the police, which functions under the direct control of the Chief Minister, had allegedly permitted rallies conducted by right-wing organisations but prevented programmes honouring Periyar and Anna, two leaders who had profoundly influenced Tamil Nadu’s social and political development.

The Opposition leader also questioned the Chief Minister’s repeated description of Periyar and Anna as ideological guides. He asked whom the government was attempting to appease by denying permission for rallies organised in their memory.

Udhayanidhi Stalin further alleged that the decision raised doubts over whether the state police were acting independently under the Chief Minister’s authority or yielding to pressure from forces associated with saffron politics. He accused the government of displaying political arrogance and failing to respect the legacy of the two Dravidian icons. The DMK leader said the people of Tamil Nadu were closely observing the government’s actions and would recognise what he described as its submissive approach towards right-wing political interests.

Demanding an immediate reversal of the police decision, Udhayanidhi Stalin said the proposed rallies should be allowed to proceed peacefully in accordance with established regulations. He maintained that commemorating Periyar and Anna was integral to celebrating Tamil Nadu’s history of social justice, rationalism, linguistic pride, and self-respect.

IANS