Chennai: A political event turned completely chaotic at Satur, in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district.
Mediapersons covering an event of MDMK were roughed up by party workers on Wednesday for filming empty chairs at the venue.
Veteran leader Vaiko, founder of MDMK, was addressing the event when several attendees left the venue. As camerapersons began recording visuals of the empty seats, Vaiko got agitated and reportedly directed party members to stop journalists from capturing the half-empty venue.
A video is doing the rounds which shows an angry Vaiko shouting at journalists, saying, “You are clicking empty chairs, do you have any intelligence? Why don’t you take pictures of the thousand people waiting outside? Snatch their camera and throw the film.”
As MDMK workers confronted journalists, an ugly melee ensued. Several media personnel were manhandled, and at least two regional reporters were injured.
Virudhunagar district police described the incident as an “altercation” and said no formal complaint has been received yet.
Vaiko’s son Durai Vaiko, the party’s principal secretary, called the incident “unpleasant” and unprecedented in MDMK’s 31-year history.
The Trichy MP claimed that some workers had left the hall due to a power cut, and that Vaiko had merely questioned why they were filming empty chairs instead of the thousands gathered outside.
The 80-year-old Vaiko is a Rajya Sabha member, whose term ends this month.
