Madhorubhagam controversy makes Thiruchengodu shops shutdown

Apparently ignoring the attempts to strike a compromise by the novelist and government officials, a hartal was observed in Thiruchengode in response to a call given by some organisations spearheading a movement against the Tamil novel Madhorubhagan and its author Perumal Murugan. The organisations were pressing thier demand to arrest Perumal Murugan and to initiate criminal action against him

The usually busy streets and bazaars of the town wore a deserted look as majority of the shops and commercial establishments downed shutters during the dawn-to-dusk protest. However, government offices and schools, both government run and private ones, worked as usual. Organisers claimed that the hartal was a big success as the locals and traders voluntarily downed shutters. 

Protestors asserted that the protests would not back off until the police file an FIR against the author, withdrawal of the copies already printed for sale and removal of the ‘objectionable’ portions portraying the Thiruchengode and the temple festival in a ‘derogatory’ manner were done.

Why protests on this novel?: Perumal Murugan, the author of Madhorubhagan, in the novel described the women devotees who take part at the 14 day festival of Sri Arthanareeswarar temple in Thiruchengodu in an abusive manner.