Tiruppur (Tamil Nadu), Apr 1 (PTI) In a video that has since gone viral on social media, a tense moment was witnessed during an AIADMK candidate introduction meeting in Tirupur when a party functionary forcibly removed and threw away a whistle worn by a musician invited to welcome former minister S P Velumani.
The incident occurred late March 28 evening when Velumani, the AIADMK Headquarters Secretary and heavy-weight leader, arrived at the venue to introduce the party’s candidates for the upcoming polls. As per tradition, a local musical troupe was engaged to provide a grand reception with percussion and wind instruments.
Trouble began when one of the musicians, while performing, was seen wearing a plastic whistle around his neck, which he used intermittently to keep pace with the drumbeats.
Seeing this, an unidentified AIADMK functionary approached the artist mid-performance and lunged for the whistle.
“You should not wear these things here,” the functionary was heard shouting in Tamil as he snatched the whistle and flung it away from the stage area.
AIADMK leadership has not officially commented on the outburst.
It is to be noted that actor Vijay’s recently launched party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), will be contesting under the symbol whistle.
The video has triggered a wave of reactions online, with supporters of the TVK claiming that the “fear of the whistle” is evident among established Dravidian majors, while some criticised the high-handed behaviour toward a folk artist who was merely performing his job. PTI JR JR ROH
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