A Kannada literature meet was cancelled in Coimbatore after activists of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) entered the venue and started shouting slogans during the meet on Sunday.
The organizers of `Samakala Kannada Ilakkiyam' were shocked when members of TPDK barged into the venue at Huzur Road. The activists claimed that they disrupted the event because there were protests against Tamil Nadu in Karnataka over the Cauvery issue.
They also tore the banners at the event, according to reports. “Tamils are being targeted in Karnataka. How can we allow such a meeting?'' M Manoharan, a functionary of TPDK told The Times of India.
The police immediately came to the venue and pushed out the activists. But the organizers decided to cancel the event.
A member of Aruvi, which organized the festival, told TOI that they have been conducting such meets for the last five years and that this meet was planned five months ago, before the Cauvery issue came to the fore again.
About 50 Kannada writers who live in Tamil Nadu had participated in the meet. The meet was interrupted when Tamil writer Pavannan was giving a speech.
According to the police, a Tamil man being beaten up in Karnataka had provoked the Periyarists to protest against the literary meet.
A police officer said that they would have provided protection if the event organizers had informed them.