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        There is no let-up in the DMK orchestrated violence and demonstrations across the State today against the former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti who had issued a fatwa on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for his disparaging remarks on Lord Ram and Ram Sethu.

        For the second day, the BJP office at Kamalalayam at T Nagar came under attack. Those managing the party office and a couple of BJP cadres suffered injuries in the DMK-led attack. The effigies of Vedanti were burnt in several places during protest marches led by the DMK leaders across districts in Tamilnadu.

        Kancheepuram

        Tension prevailed in the temple town from morning as a large gathering of DMK supporters and partymen led by Labour Minister T M Anbarasan, who is also the district secretary, congregated near the Ekambaranathar temple to raise protest slogans against Hindu outfits. DMK town secretary C V M Sekar, MLAs Sundar, Sankari Narayanan, S R Raja, district treasurer Sukumar, deputy secretary Ponmozhi and former MLAs along with top DMK functionaries and leaders with nearby 500 cadres took part in a massive protest near the temple. DMK leaders burnt the effigy of Vedanti and called for his immediate arrest.

        Security was reinforced at Kanchi Sankara Mutt and other temples in view of the tense situation prevailing in the district. Traffic was affected for some hours during the protest march by DMK leaders and supporters.

        Tiruvallur

        DMK partymen led by district secretary and MLA E A P Sivaji organised a protest in front of Kamarajar statue here. MP Krishnasamy, MLA P Ranganathan and Municipality chairman P Pandian marched down the streets along with party functionaries including Union secretaries V S Shanmugam, T K Chandrasekar, town secretary K M Dayanidhi and district panchayat vice-president Baskar Sundaram, among others, with strident demand for punitive action against the VHP activists and Hindu outfits. Earlier, the effigy of Vedanti was burnt by the partymen.

        Kanyakumari

        The BJP office in Nagercoil came under siege by a group of DMK men led by its Agriculture Marketing Committee chairman G M Shah. A large number of party cadres and supporters joined the protest march which later on surrounded the BJP office in Nagercoil.

        When the BJP functionaries at the party office started raising voice against the DMK protest, the agitating partymen broke the police cordon and jumped the protective barricades to invade the the BJP office. But the police intervened at that time and pacified the angry DMK men who continued to stage their dharna in front of the BJP office.

        BJP flags, banners and properties were damaged in the violence yesterday in Nagercoil. In turn, during the procession of Vinayaka idols the BJP and Hindu activists pulled down and uprooted the flag posts and banners of the DMK. K P Road on which the BJP office is located were closed for traffic and heavy security was posted there to prevent untoward incidents.

        Villupuram

        A strong gathering of DMK functionaries and cadres led by Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy staged a protest march from the Railway station to the Tiruvalluvar statue near the old bus stand. In the protest meeting, MLAs Udaya Suriyan, Pushparaj, Angayarkani and Municipality chairman Janakaraj, among others, spoke to condemn the fatwa issued by the VHP activist in Ayodhya against the Chief Minister.

        Party leaders from DPA allies including Congress, PMK and CPI-M also took part in the protest march in Villupuram.