COIMBATORE: Condemning the remarks of BJP National Secretary H. Raja on Periyar, activists of various political parties on Wednesday staged demonstrations in several places here. They demanded the BJP leader’s arrest.

Led by former Minister and senior DMK leader Pongalur N. Palanisamy, DMK activists raised slogans against Raja for his remarks of pulling down the statues of Periyar at Kamarajapuram in the city. They sought Raja’s arrest under Goondas Act and urged the State Government not to remain a mute spectator.

Activists of CPI and CPI-M also staged separate demonstrations and challenged Raja to touch Periyar’s statue and raised slogans against the BJP Government at the Centre and Sangh Parivar.

A group of DMK workers attempted to burn the effigy of Raja in Kalapatti. A group of lawyers, under the banner of All India Lawyers Union, staged a demonstration near the court complex, hitting the photograph of Raja with slippers.Holding banners with portrait of Periyar and Lenin, they urged the Government to register criminal case against Raja,