Tension at Quaid-e-Millath memorial as DMK, Congress cadres trade slogans

TNNChennai: Tension prevailed at the Quaid-e-Millath memorial in Triplicane on Friday when DMK cadres raised slogans against TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai and Congress functionaries when they visited the place to pay tribute to the freedom fighter on his 131st birth anniversary.DMK functionaries had gathered in large numbers and were waiting for DMK president M K Stalin, who was scheduled to pay homage. However, Selvaperunthagai and some Congress leaders arrived during the time slot allotted to the DMK leader.DMK cadres asked the Congress leaders to leave, citing the police-allotted schedule and started raising slogans calling them “betrayers” and “backstabbers”. A section of cadres from both parties engaged in a brief verbal exchange, but senior leaders intervened and brought the situation under control.Selvaperunthagai downplayed the incident, describing the DMK cadres’ anger as understandable. He implied that the friction arose because Congress had aligned with the TVK without first paying a courtesy visit to the DMK headquarters to thank alliance leader Stalin following the assembly election.Soon after, M K Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin paid tribute at the memorial. Earlier in the day, chief minister C Joseph Vijay, along with IUML leaders, paid homage to the freedom fighter.