PMK WORKERS ATTACK DAYANIDHI MARAN’S CONVOY, SEEK APOLOGY FOR HIS ‘DEFAMATORY’ MONEY REMARK

CHENNAI: DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran’s convoy was stopped by PMK workers who started pelting stones at his vehicles when he was travelling with his party members on Tuesday. Though stones were thrown at Dayanidhi Maran’s car, he escaped without any damage; three other cars were damaged in the incident. Maran is camping in Salem district as part of his election campaign ahead of the Assembly elections.

PMK workers then gathered in front of the hotel where he was staying and raised slogans and demanded him to apologise for the remarks he made against PMK leaders. As DMK cadres also gathered at the same spot, the situation escalated and ended in fisticuffs. Hundreds of police personnel were deployed to manage the situation and resorted to using mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.

On Wednesday, PMK president G.K. Mani sent a legal notice to DMK MP Maran over a statement he made against the PMK leadership while campaigning in Salem and has demanded unconditional apology in 24 hours of receiving the notice.

Maran, in his campaign speech, had said that the PMK would join hands with the party that offers more money to it. “It is alleged that they got Rs 400 crore to join the NDA alliance and some say this time they are demanding Rs 1,000 crore and DMK doesn’t have money to offer to bring the party into their alliance for the Assembly elections.”

In their legal notice issued to Maran, the PMK has stated that the statements made by DMK MP are baseless and defamatory in nature.

Last week DMK MP Dr Senthil Kumar was heckled by PMK workers in Dharmapuri when he had gone to pay homage to a Vanniyar leader. Police interfered and escorted him to a safer location.