VIRUDHUNAGAR: DMK and AIADMK cadres clashed in Virudhunagar on Monday while staging protests. While AIADMK cadre were protesting against DMK MP A Raja's comments against late chief minister J Jayalalithaa and CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, the DMK workers were agitating against Tamil Nadu Dairy Minister K T Rajendra Balaji for “disrespecting” their party leader MK Stalin.
The issue began when Raja responded to the CM’s allegations on the 2G scam, a case in which Raja was acquitted by a trial court. The MP invited Palaniswami for a debate over which party was guilty of corruption.
Responding to Raja, Rajenthra Bhalaji had said he would come forward for a debate and condemned the MP for using disrespectful language against Jayalalithaa and Palaniswami.
On Monday morning, DMK cadres staged protests and tried to burn an effigy of the minister. However, police intervened and took away the effigy at Virudhunagar.
AIADMK cadres were irked that the opposition party was burning photos of the minister and arrived at the same spot. Their attempt to burn an effigy of Stalin was also foiled by the police.
Members of both parties then physically clashed and pelted stones at each other, obstructing traffic on the roads.
However, the police soon separated the cadres and prevented further clashes.