Members of a Dravidian outfit on Friday filed a complaint against actor and politician Rajinikanth for his remarks about social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy at an event in Chennai, PTI reported.

The complaint filed by Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam, a splinter group of the Dravidar Kazhagam, alleged that Rajinikanth spread misinformation about Periyar with the intent to malign his reputation.

During the 50th anniversary of Thuglak – a Tamil weekly news magazine – the actor allegedly said that Periyar had, in 1971, undertaken a rally in Salem in which the images of an unclothed Ram and Sita were displayed. “Ram and Sita’s effigies were paraded without clothes, garlanded with footwear,” Rajinikanth said at the event held on Tuesday, according to The News Minute.

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He said the Tamil magazine was the only one to cover this event, adding that the founder Cho Ramaswamy had condemned this. “This brought a bad name to the ruling DMK who did not want the magazine to be circulated,” Rajinikanth said. “The issue was seized by the government but Cho reprinted it and the magazine was sold in black. What was sold for Rs 10, was then sold for Rs 50 and Rs 60.”

DVK leader Nehru Das told ANI that Rajinikanth had levelled these false allegations to enter politics. “Not even a tiny bit of this is true,” he added. “He is only doing this to enter politics. He is trying to disturb Dravidam and Periyar’s movements.”

Das said the party has requested Coimbatore commissioner of police to initiate action against him. “If this is not done then we will gherao his residence and will not allow his movies to run in Tamil Nadu,” he warned.

The complaint was filed under Indian Penal Code sections 153 (a) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief).