In a press release today, the Forum claimed that the Periyar Dravida Kazhagam had announced its intention to stage the play on October 1, as also their alleged intention to burn the effigies of deities Rama and Lakshmana in the city.

A Vacation Bench, comprising Justice Abdul Wahab and Justice P Thangavel, had directed the Police Commissioner to take appropriate measures as per the law to prevent burning of effigies, the release claimed.

The BJP too demanded that the State Government ban the `Ravana Leela', and prevent burning of effigies of Hindu Gods by the Periyar Dravida Kazhagam.

BJP State vice-president V Maithreyan, in a statement, charged that the programme drawn up by the Kazhagam aimed at denigrating the Hindu sentiments andfaith. If the DMK Government really believed in calling itself a secular Government, it could not allow activities aimed at ``hurting the belief and conviction of the followers of Hinduism,'' he added.

Pointing out that insulting religious feelings amounted to non-bailable offence, punishable under Section 295 A of Cr P C, Maithreyan regretted that though such activity attracted punishment up to three years in prison, the Tamil Nadu Police, in fact, provided protection to those who distributed hand bills in connection with the `Ravana Leela.'

Recalling that the DMK Government in 1971 permitted a procession at Salem in which the Dravida Kazhagam activists garlanded a Hindu God with footwear, he said anti-Hindu activities increased and gained prominence whenever the DMK came to power.