Rajinikanth "Won't Apologise" For 'Periyar' Rally Remarks Amid Protests

Chennai: Superstar Rajinikanth said today that he will not apologize for his comments on social reformer EV Ramasamy "Periyar", for which a political group has filed a complaint with the police. Accused of "slandering" Periyar in the complaint, Rajinikanth claimed that his comments were based on the news he had read.
Addressing the 50th-anniversary event of Tamil magazine "Thuglak" on January 14, Rajinikanth said: "In 1971, in Salem, Periyar held a demonstration against the superstition in which the naked images of Lord Ramachandramoorthy and Sita, with a garland of sandals - they were shown and no media published it. " The veteran actor was saying that only Cho Ramaswamy, the founder-editor of "Thuglak", published and criticized him. The news shook the DMK government led by M Karunanidhi at the time, he added, adding that the state administration confiscated copies of the magazine, but Cho Ramaswamy.

He reprinted it and the copies were sold "like hot cakes in black". Rajinikanth, whose long-awaited political debut is expected before next year's Tamil Nadu election, has rejected Dravidar Viduthulai Kazhagam's (DVK) requests for his apologies. "I won't apologize for the comments about Periyar. I spoke based on the news I read. They speak based on what they saw. This is an incident that should be forgotten, not denied," said the 69-year-old. actor. Dravidar Kazhagam, founded by Periyar, filed two complaints, citing allegations of promoting enmity and hatred. The DVK has also threatened protests outside theaters that show actor Darbar's latest film if he doesn't apologize.