<p class="title">Political leaders in Tamil Nadu on Monday condemned the damage inflicted on a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar in Nagapattinam district on Sunday, with the DMK blaming "fascist forces" behind the vandalism.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Peace prevailed in Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district on Monday, as officials moved swiftly to replace the damaged statue of Ambedkar with a new one.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On Sunday, two people were injured in a clash between two groups in Vedaranyam, with some vehicles being set on fire.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A statue of Ambedkar was also damaged following the clash even as the groups hurled stones at police personnel when they tried to bring the situation under control.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Police have picked up 58 people belonging to both communities in connection with the clash.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Further probe was on and those who instigated the caste clash were being identified and would be booked under relevant sections, police said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">More than 750 police personnel have been deployed in the town to prevent any untoward incidents.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, an accident involving an SUV where a Dalit youth was injured is said to have triggered the violence.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The desecration of the Ambedkar statue drew sharp responses from opposition parties including the DMK and the Left, as they demanded action against the culprits.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Fascists forces wearing the mask of democratic politics have sown the seeds of poison which result in the desecration of statues of (EVR) Periyar and Dr Ambedkar," DMK President M K Stalin said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, the statues of the highly respected rational leader EVR Periyar were found vandalised in some parts of the state, drawing widespread condemnation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stalin, Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, demanded that "rioters" should be identified to prevent any such violence, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government and police should take strict action against those "challenging law and order," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">MDMK founder and Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko, CPI (M) state secretary K Balakrishnan and CPI state secretary R Mutharasan also condemned the desecration of the Ambedkar statue in Vedaranyam and demanded action against the culprits. </p>
<p class="title">Political leaders in Tamil Nadu on Monday condemned the damage inflicted on a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar in Nagapattinam district on Sunday, with the DMK blaming "fascist forces" behind the vandalism.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Peace prevailed in Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district on Monday, as officials moved swiftly to replace the damaged statue of Ambedkar with a new one.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On Sunday, two people were injured in a clash between two groups in Vedaranyam, with some vehicles being set on fire.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A statue of Ambedkar was also damaged following the clash even as the groups hurled stones at police personnel when they tried to bring the situation under control.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Police have picked up 58 people belonging to both communities in connection with the clash.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Further probe was on and those who instigated the caste clash were being identified and would be booked under relevant sections, police said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">More than 750 police personnel have been deployed in the town to prevent any untoward incidents.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, an accident involving an SUV where a Dalit youth was injured is said to have triggered the violence.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The desecration of the Ambedkar statue drew sharp responses from opposition parties including the DMK and the Left, as they demanded action against the culprits.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Fascists forces wearing the mask of democratic politics have sown the seeds of poison which result in the desecration of statues of (EVR) Periyar and Dr Ambedkar," DMK President M K Stalin said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, the statues of the highly respected rational leader EVR Periyar were found vandalised in some parts of the state, drawing widespread condemnation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stalin, Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, demanded that "rioters" should be identified to prevent any such violence, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government and police should take strict action against those "challenging law and order," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">MDMK founder and Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko, CPI (M) state secretary K Balakrishnan and CPI state secretary R Mutharasan also condemned the desecration of the Ambedkar statue in Vedaranyam and demanded action against the culprits. </p>