Under pressure from various sides for maintaining silence over the brutal murder of Ramalingam who was killed by a gang hours after he protested conversion attempt by Muslims in Thirubhuvanam area, DMK president M K Stalin and other leaders have finally condemned it. In a series of tweets, Stalin, who is the Leader of Opposition in State Assembly, demanded that the government expeditiously secure punishment for them. He asked the government to end such violence.
"The AIADMK government should come forward to guard communal harmony that traditionally prevails in Tamil Nadu by taking stern action against the perpetrators, whichever religion they may belong to," he added. Naam Tamizhar Katchi leader Seeman said such acts of violence can't be tolerated in a democratic country. Tamizhar Vazhvurimai Katchi chief Velmurugan said he strongly condemned the murder of Ramalingam and sought action against the murderers.
Five persons belonging to a Muslim outfit have been arrested for the murder so far. Soon after the incident, PMK founder S Ramadoss came out with a strongly-worded statement in which he said that Ramalingam was attempting to prevent a religious conversion. "No one with a conscience will accept the heinous murder of someone who opposed religious conversion. Such acts are against humanity. Such acts, ruining religious co-existence and stoking communal violence should not be permitted," Ramadoss stated.
