BJP's tweet against Periyar sparks outrage from political parties in Tamil Nadu

DMK President M K Stalin and MDMK founder Vaiko lashed out at the BJP party for the seemingly offensive tweet, which was later pulled down from the state BJP's official Twitter handle.

Chennai: The BJP's Tamil Nadu unit kicked up a row on Tuesday with a controversial tweet against social reformer, the late E V R Periyar on his 47th death anniversary, sparking outrage from political parties, including its allies AIADMK and PMK.

DMK President M K Stalin and MDMK founder Vaiko lashed out at the saffron party for the seemingly offensive tweet, which was later pulled down from the state BJP's official Twitter handle.

Tamil Nadu Cooperation Minister Sellur K Raju said "it is condemnable whoever spoke ill about" leaders like Periyar. Stalin, Leader of the Opposition in the assembly in Tamil Nadu said BJP must have pondered over whether to put out such a tweet, only to remove it later.

"Let that fear be there. Periyar is giving jitters even after his death," he said in a tweet.

NDA constituent PMK also lashed out at ally BJP, saying the tweet put out by the saffron party's state unit on the Dravidian stalwart's death anniversary was "abhorrent". "This shows their deceased vision. This is strongly condemnable," PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss said on Twitter.

MDMK founder Vaiko also criticised the BJP even as scores of netizens took to social media to express their voice against the saffron party on the matter.