CHIDAMBARAM, TAMIL NADU, INDIA, March 6, 2008: Volunteers of the Human Rights Protection Centre (HRPC), Farmers Liberation Front and Makkal Kalai Ilakkiyam took out a procession and garlanded the statue of rationalist leader Periyar E.V. Ramasamy after bursting crackers to celebrate what they called “victory of Tamil”. (HPI Note: P. Ramasamy was a prominent social activist and atheist. His article on Wikipedia, here, lists his famous statement: “He who created god was a fool, he who spreads his name is a scoundrel, and he who worships him is a barbarian.”)
As reported by The Statesman here, Tamil nationalist leader Mr P. Nedumaran demanded that the Hindu religious and charitable endowments department take over the temple administration.