Tamil Nadu opposition alleges cops transferred for garlanding Periyar statue; district police denies

Cuddalore District Police was at the center of a controversy on Thursday with political parties alleging that three policemen were transferred out of the district after they posted a picture of them standing in front of a statue of social reformer E V R Periyar.

However, Cuddalore District Superintendent of Police M Sree Abhinav said the policemen were transferred for “misconduct” and their pictures doing rounds on the social media had nothing to do with the action against them.

“They were not transferred for that one particular act and the photo was taken on September 17. Since some other misconduct has come to light now, the DIG has transferred them out of the district,” Sree Abhinav told Deccan Herald.

“The incident on September 17 has nothing to do with this particular transfer because if it had it could have happened immediately after that. Subsequently some other angle has come into the picture and that is why they have been transferred,” the police officer added.

In an order dated October 6, Sree Abhinav transferred S Ranjith, D Rangarajan, and G Ashok, all working in the district, to Kallakurichi on the orders of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Villupuram range.

Their transfer became a political issue after pictures of the three policemen posing in front of a Periyar statue in Cuddalore was shared on social media and this was cited as a reason for the action by the district police.

As the pictures went viral on social media, political leaders, including MDMK chief Vaiko, VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan and DMK Youth Wing head Udhayanidhi Stalin, condemned the transfer and demanded revoking of the same.

“It is surprising that the Tamil Nadu government which did not act against those who disrespected Periyar and Anna (DMK founder) by spraying saffron colour on them has transferred three policemen for posing before Periyar statue,” Thirumavalavan said.

He also sought to know whether Tamil Nadu was being ruled by “AIADMK or RSS”, pointing out that the policemen did not pay respects while in uniform. “Is the Tamil Nadu government coming to say that paying respects to Periyar, who fought for social justice all through his life, is a crime? The Chief Minister should clarify,” he said.

Vaiko questioned whether it was against the law to garland the statue of a person who fought for the betterment of the people of Tamil Nadu. “The transfer should be revoked immediately,” the Rajya Sabha MP demanded.

Udhayanidhi Stalin also took to Twitter to say that the then government led by late M Karunanidhi had ensured that Periyar was buried with full state honours. “But the slave government transfers policemen who garlanded his statue,” he said.