Discord over Mullaperiyar spills onto streets

The Mullaperiyar Dam issue spread out on the streets with many business establishments owned by Keralites in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu coming under attacks by Tamil groups on Wednesday.

Many shops were damaged and properties worth lakhs of rupees destroyed by vandals belonging to certain Dravida groups in Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode and other places in the state. This is in retaliation to media reports that 500 women plantation  workers from Tamil Nadu were harassed in Idukki district of Kerala.

Small-time shop keepers and vendors bore the brunt of the attacks unleashed by  the Tamil groups. “I don’t know anything about Mullaperiyar. But a group of people came to my hotel and destroyed all soft drink bottles, snacks and cupboards,” said Sohan, a Keralite owner of a small tea shop in T Nagar. Many shops and eateries owned by Keralites in Chennai suburbs were destroyed by Tamil groups.

Officials belonging to the state and central intelligence agencies told this newspaper that the situation in Tamil Nadu was tense.

“Widespread attacks against shops and business establishments  owned by Keralites have been reported from all over the state. There is every possibility that the attacks will increase in the coming days,” said a senior IB official.

The Chennai Police have asked office-bearers of Malayali clubs and cultural organisations to down shutters for the next three days.

“We are all worried about the safety and security of Keralites in Tamil Nadu. There are over 4.3 million Keralites in Tamil Nadu. Chennai itself accounts for eight lakh Keralites,” said Nanda Govind, leader of Confederation of Malayali Associations in Tamil Nadu. He said many shop keepers and small entrepreneurs have been complaining to him about attacks on their enterprises by various Tamil groups. 

Refuting the media report, E Devadasan, Idukki collector said no such thing has happened.

“I saw such reports in newspapers published from Tamil Nadu. This is a false news with ulterior motives. No attacks have taken place on Tamil people anywhere in this district. I am sending a rejoinder to the Theni collector [whom the media report had quoted],” said Devadasan.