BJP: MDMK chief Vaiko should take blame for cadre's death

CHENNAI: Lashing out at political parties especially MDMK chief Vaiko, who launched a 10-day padayatra on March 31 to create awareness on the “impact” of India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project on the farm lands in Theni, for mindless opposition to the project, BJP state secretary K. T. Raghavan has demanded Vaiko to be accountable for his cadre’s death.

Referring to MDMK worker Ravi who set himself afire protesting against the proposed neutrino project, ahead of his party leader Vaiko commencing his padayatra in Madurai, Mr Raghavan said Ravi was driven to this extreme measure as he led himself to believe what his leader had said about the project.

“Now he (Ravi) has succumbed to burns. Vaiko is responsible for the loss of this innocent life and he should own responsibility for it,” Mr Raghavan said on Monday. Mr Vaiko, the BJP senior said, was giving the impression that the neutrino project was initiated by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. But the fact is it was granted permission in 2010 by the then (Congress) government. 

“He was wrongly depicting it as the BJP project and has convinced his party members and launched a padayatra against it. But believing that his leader will not utter a lie, the worker came under the impression that the future of TN will become a question mark due to such projects, immolated himself,” Mr Raghavan said.

The MDMK chief was misleading his true followers and inciting them against the project to perpetuate his political future, Mr. Raghavan alleged.The padayatra was inaugurated by DMK working president M. K. Stalin. 

Ravi, who set himself on fire near the dais where Mr Vaiko was addressing the gathering was rushed to a private hospital with severe burn injuries. He died on Monday without responding to treatment.