Actor Rajinikanth, addressing reporters on Thursday, said the attack on Tamil iconoclast Periyar’s statue is a barbaric act. Rajinikanth, who maintained silence on the issue, said “I strongly condemn the act." Earlier, a controversy erupted after H Raja’s Facebook post said Periyar’s statues in Tamil Nadu will attain a similar fate, referring to the razing of Lenin’s statue in Tripura. Adding fuel to the fire, a statue of Periyar was vandalised in Tirupathur of Vellore district. While all Tamil Nadu political leaders had condemned the act, Rajinikanth has now spoken up.