CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu police arrested six BJP members, including the State President of the Tamil Nadu sports and skill development cell, Amar Prasad Reddy, on Saturday night. The incident took place near the residence of the Tamil Nadu State BJP President, Annamalai, on the East Coast Road in Panaiyur, Chennai.
It is reported that in a late-night operation, over 200 Tamil Nadu police officers forcefully removed a BJP flagpole situated near Annamalai’s Chennai residence. The swift action led to protests by BJP party members, who gathered at the scene and raised their voices against the removal of the party flag. This resulted in disputes between the police and party members.
The operation to remove the BJP flagpole escalated into heated verbal exchanges between police officers and party members. However, according to BJP cadres on the ground, this action was perceived as a clear case of vindictive politics, and they expressed their determination not to be intimidated. Despite a significant gathering of people attempting to prevent the flag’s removal near Annamalai’s house, the police used a JCB to forcibly remove it during the night, suggesting apprehension on the part of the DMK towards the BJP, as claimed by a party member.
In response to the removal of the party flagpole, the TN police arrested the state president of the party’s sports and skill development cell, Amar Prasad Reddy, along with party members Surendra Kumar, Balakumar, Kanniappan, Vinod Kumar, and Senthil Kumar. All six individuals were remanded to judicial custody.
Reports have also emerged that some fake cases were registered against the party members. As a result of the police intervention, Vivin Baskaran, a functionary of the BJP’s IT wing, sustained head injuries and required hospitalisation for treatment.
Several criticised the DMK’s fascist approach.
Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, the BJP’s national co-in charge of Tamil Nadu, alleged that the arrest of some BJP cadres was ‘purely politically motivated, uncalled for, and unwarranted.’
Speaking to the media, the BJP’s Tamil Nadu vice-president, Nagarajan, argued that it was customary to have flagpoles in front of the houses of state leaders from all political parties. He questioned whether the government would similarly remove unauthorized flagpoles of the ruling DMK if the BJP raised objections. He alleged that flags of other parties had been erected closer to the road at multiple places and were not removed by the Tamil Nadu police. He clarified that the flagpole was situated far from the highway road and very close to the leader’s residence compound.
Responding to the issue, Annamalai criticized the DMK government for this incident during the night, arguing that the government is resorting to intimidatory tactics to demoralize party cadres. He stated that the people of Tamil Nadu would soon teach the DMK a lesson, as he believed the party was acting arrogantly and seeking retribution against the BJP for criticizing the DMK’s ‘corrupt and inefficient’ government. Annamalai highlighted that the ‘draconian‘ DMK was no match for the perseverance of the BJP cadre and asserted that the party would install 10,000 flagpoles across the state within the next 100 days.
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