As Manusmriti row snowballs into a major controversy in Tamil Nadu, BJP has launched massive agitation across the state demanding the arrest of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan. VCK too has launched counter-protests against BJP for politicizing the entire issue and targeting Thirumavalavan. BJP Leader Khushbu Sundar, who was on her way towards Chidambaram for a protest organized by AIADMK to condemn Thirumavalavan was detained in preventive custody on Tuesday at Muttukadu along with 10 other functionaries. After word spread that she was being kept in custody at a resort nearby, VCK cadres gathered in large numbers and tried entering the resort forcefully. Police used a mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd outside the resort. Minutes after the scuffle in Muttukadu, another group of BJP cadres gathered in front of the Chennai collector office and blocked the road shouting slogans against Thirumavalavan. BJP cadres demanded the arrest of Thirumavalavan. In Madurai, VCK cadres clashed with BJP cadres and it ended in fisticuffs between both sides. VCK cadres manhandled BJP workers, who visited the Madurai collector office to submit a petition. Tension prevailed in the area and police were deployed to disperse the crowd. More than 60 VCK cadres were detained by police for creating a ruckus outside the Collectorate. Khushbu who addressed the media in the evening alleged that the police detained her only to protect her from them VCK cadres and accused that Thirumavalavan hasn’t read the Manusmriti properly. She was released along with others from preventive custody in the evening.
