Chennai: DMK on Monday held statewide protests demanding action against state human resources minister D Sarathkumar over a viral video in which he was seen handling a white powder-like substance. Former chief minister M K Stalin and DMK MP Kanimozhi flayed TVK govt for denying permission for the demonstrations and detaining DMK cadres.Stalin said chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s objective of protecting his `fake image’ built by staying away from media and intimidating opposition parties would not last long. “Protesting DMK cadres arrested. Former minister S S Sivasankar booked and E V Velu’s house searched. The arrogance of those with power will soon be subdued,” he said.In Chennai, the protest was led by former ministers P K Sekarbabu and Ma Subramanian, Greater Chennai Corporation mayor R Priya, former MLAs N Ezhilan, D Velu and P Sivakumar alias ‘Thayagam’ Kavi, among others. Police detained the protesters shortly after the demonstration began.Though permission had initially been granted to hold the protest near Rajarathinam Stadium, DMK leaders alleged that police prevented the gathering, seized vehicles transporting materials for the stage and detained workers involved in setting it up. DMK then shifted the protest to three locations in the city.Sekarbabu led the demonstration in Purasawalkam before being detained by police. He alleged that Sarathkumar was seen handling a white substance in the video, which was suspected to be a narcotic drug. He described the agitation as only a “trailer” and said DMK would not be deterred by arrests.Stalin accused TVK govt of suppressing dissent, and said that it was engaging in vendetta politics.
