Lagatar24 Desk
Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai on Friday staged a dramatic protest outside his Coimbatore residence, whipping himself multiple times to criticize the DMK government over its alleged failure to ensure student safety following the Anna University rape case in Chennai.
Accusing the DMK government and police of compromising the victim’s dignity by leaking her personal details, Annamalai termed the incident a “shameful act” and an example of the state’s governance failure.
VIDEO | BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai (@annamalai_k) whips himself outside his residence in Coimbatore to condemn the police, and the state government for their 'apathy' in handling the case of sexual assault of a student of Anna University.#TamilNaduNews
(Full video… pic.twitter.com/v3G3DD3nn9
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 27, 2024
Harsh Criticism of DMK’s Handling of Women’s Safety
Annamalai condemned the state government for inadequate CCTV surveillance at Anna University and questioned the utilization of the Nirbhaya fund meant for enhancing women’s safety. “The FIR has exposed the victim’s identity and portrayed her in a poor light. This disgraceful mishandling is the responsibility of the DMK government,” he said.
He also slammed Law Minister S. Regupathy for defending the state’s actions and demanded the removal of the Chennai police commissioner or deputy commissioner involved in the case.
Symbolic Protests and Future Plans
The BJP leader, who recently announced that he would abstain from wearing footwear until the DMK is ousted, declared an end to large public protests that often lead to arrests. Instead, he urged BJP cadres to stage demonstrations at their homes.
Annamalai also revealed plans for a 48-day fast and a pilgrimage to the six Arupadai Veedu (Lord Muruga’s six abodes) to “complain to Murugan” about the state’s governance failures.
Call to Action
“This kind of dirty politics leaves no room for respect or healthy debate. Women’s safety should not be compromised under any circumstance,” he stated, urging the middle class to rise against the DMK regime.
