Thuglak Magazine to reprint 1971 Periyar story in next issue

Amid a raging controversy, the publishers of Tamil magazine Thuglak may reprint an article on a procession led by late Dravidian icon E V R Periyar in Salem in the coming issue which will be out next week.

“Many ask for reprinting of the 1971 Thuglak to bring out what Thuglak published about Salem. The entire edition need not be reprinted. We are thinking of printing the parts relevant to Salem in the coming Thuglak issue,” S Gurumurthy, editor of Thuglak magazine, wrote on Twitter. The next issue of the magazine will be out on January 27.

statement last week at the annual day celebrations of Thuglak, founded by late Cho, that the magazine was seized by the government after it reported about a rally headed by Periyar in 1971 during which “images of Lord Ram and Sita were taken nude" has created a major controversy in Tamil Nadu.

During his speech, Rajinikanth had said only the magazine had published news about the incident with a picture when no other news outlet bothered to report about it. As it brought a bad name to the DMK Government, Rajinikanth added, then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had seized the copies, but Tughlak reprinted it and sold it in black.

speech triggered a major row in the state with the Dravidar Kazhagam, founded by Periyar, taking objection to the statement and demanded his apology. However, the actor has refused to .

The issue has been getting extensive media attention with The Hindu on Wednesday writing a detailed article based on the by its reporter on the ground who covered the 1971 incident. Now, Tughlak will reprint relevant portions in its next issue.