Police plaint against Rajinikanth

Chennai: Members of a Dravidian outfit on Friday accused superstar Rajinikanth of "uttering a blatant lie" about social reformer Periyar and filed a police complaint against the actor.

Nehrudas, president of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DK) petitioned the Coimbatore police commissioner to register an FIR against Rajinikanth under sections 153a (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 505 (intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public) of the Indian Penal Code.

While attending the 50th anniversary of Thuglak, a Tamil language weekly news magazine started by political commentator Cho Ramaswamy, Rajikanth had stirred controversy by saying that Periyar had in 1971 taken out a procession after garlanding the photos of Lord Ram and Sita with chappals.

The procession was taken out as part of a superstition eradication conference held in Salem, he said.

The comments have not gone down well with the DK, which has demanded an unconditional apology from Rajinikanth or warned that they would gherao his house and protest outside theatres where Rajini's latest film, Darbar, is being screened.

"During Thuglak function on January 14, he (Rajinikanth) had levelled false allegations, not even a tiny bit of which is true. He is only doing this to enter politics. He is trying to disturb Dravidam and Periyar's movements," Nehrudas told news agency ANI.