Politics over Ram, Hindu 'fatwa' sparks violence

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LETTER BOMB: Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu dispatched this letter to Prime Minister.

Politics over Ram, Hindu 'fatwa' sparks violence

CNN-INDIA

Published on Monday , September 24, 2007

Madras/Bhopal: Violence erupted on the streets of Madras as DMK supporters vent their anger against the Hindu “fatwa” issued by VHP leader, Ram Vilas Vedanti, demanding Tamil patriarch M Karunanidhi's head.

Facing the brunt of the attack were BJP headquarters and the Hindu Munnai office. In neighbouring Shivganga district, BJP's Tamil Nadu unit president H Raja and his father-in-law encountered an angry mob.

When the situation got out of control, Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu dispatched a letter to Prime Minister. It read: This barbarious and heinous threat to the life of Dr Karunanidhi has sent shock waves across the Tamil community and has infuriated crores of Tamils all over the world.

But calm was restored after Vedanti retracted his statement. The political exchanges may have become less vicious but the problem was far from resolved.

Karunanidhi wouldn't stoop to comment on Vedanti taking back his decree and it was followed by a reassurance to the dominant partner in the UPA - the Congress.

“My relationship with the Congress will continue. There is nothing wrong with the relationship,” said Karunanidhi.

As Karunanidhi insisted that there was no question of going back on the Setusamudram project, the BJP national executive in Bhopal had assessed and understood the significance of the issue.

“Freedom of expression does not give somebody the right of blasphemy. Karunanidhi had called Lord Ram a drunkard,” said BJP President Rajnath Singh.

The BJP may have distanced itself from Vedanti's statement but retained its fundamental right to extract the maximum political mileage from the controversy.

[Aryan_]

Ram's army of monkey soldiers will deal with him.