Following the Madras High Court’s dismissal of a chargesheet on 3 October 2024, against film stunt master Kanal Kannan for allegedly advocating the demolition of a statue of EV Ramasamy (EVR) located at the entrance of Srirangam temple in Tiruchi, the Tamil Nadu BJP is preparing to take legal action to remove the statue. They have also stated that protests will continue until the statue is removed.
The prosecution’s case originated from a complaint by the District Secretary of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, who alleged that Kannan’s YouTube channel, “Mai Chennai360,” featured a speech designed to incite unrest and instil fear among certain groups. The complaint claimed Kannan’s statements denigrated the beliefs of God and targeted both Christian priests and Muslims. It was asserted that his remarks fostered enmity and hatred between communities, leading to legal action against him.
Kanal Kannan later petitioned the High Court to annul the case from the Egmore Court in Chennai. Reviewing the situation, Judge Jayachandran observed that the slogans directed at believers near the EVR statue were provocative, resulting in the dismissal of the charges against Kannan.
Kannan argued that demanding the removal of the EVR statue located in front of the Srirangam temple frequented by thousands of devotees, was inappropriate. He claimed that the presence of a statute with inflammatory language against believers constitutes an offence under Sections 153 (promoting enmity) and 505(1)(b) (disturbing public order) of the IPC.
Justice G Jayachandran remarked, “The display of provocative words about believers of God opposite a temple is the cause for the speech. The person who had provoked the speech cannot take advantage of their provocation and prosecute the petitioner” while approving Kanal Kannan’s request to dismiss the charges against him.
In its analysis, the court acknowledged that the language on the plaque of the EVR statue had incited Kannan’s response. The court pointed out that the complainant should have realized the plaque’s wording could offend believers in God. Since the statue is located outside a Hindu temple, Kannan, as a representative of the Hindu Munani, expressed valid concerns about the derogatory phrasing. The court concluded that Kannan’s comments did not contain expressions that could incite hatred or animosity among communities. It noted that neither other community members nor those from Kannan’s own group objected to his speech; the complaint came solely from a Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam member. The court reiterated that the provocative wording near the temple led to Kannan’s remarks, emphasizing that the instigator of the provocation cannot then pursue legal action against his reaction.
Kannan’s attorney, Karthikeyan, contended that the statue of EVR statue was deliberately positioned to incite Hindu sentiments. He questioned why a statue of someone who rejected the notion of God would be placed only outside a Hindu temple, calling it an act of anarchy. Karthikeyan also referenced another EVR statue near the Amman Temple in Royapettah, Chennai, which he argued had similarly offensive language. He expressed intentions to seek the statue’s removal through the High Court.
In this regard, the BJP State Secretary Ashvathaman commented that “E.V. Ramasamy allegedly struck a idol of Ram with a sandal, and it was only after one crore people came to see Athi Varadar that the response was returned. Ramasamy referred Independence Day as a “black day” and made statements like, ‘There is no God; those who worship Him are barbarians.’ Installing a statue of someone with such views and including their biography in school curricula misleads students. The statue of E.V. Ramasamy located in front of the Srirangam temple is on temple property. We plan to file a case in the High Court referencing the ruling in the Kanal Kannan case to demand the statue’s removal, along with the inscription on its pedestal. We will continue our protests until the statue is taken down.”
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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