CHENNAI: Tension prevailed at Panaiyur on Friday night when the BJP cadre got into a scuffle with police after the latter removed a flag post installed near the residence of BJP TN unit chief K Annamalai. Party cadre were arrested following the scuffle, and released on Saturday.
On Saturday, police also arrested the party’s sports and skill development cell state president, Amar Prasad Reddy, in connection with the incident. The Tambaram city police said residents had complained about the flag post. “Flag posts can be put up in public places with civic authorities’ permission. But, they did not get any,” police said.
When police arrived with a crane to remove the post on Friday night, BJP cadre opposed them leading to a scuffle. Reacting to the incident, Annamalai called the DMK government “draconian” and “fascist”. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Our party flag is a symbol of integrity and sacrifice, and every BJP ‘karyakarta’ will hold it high with a sense of pride. By taking one down in Panaiyur, you’ve let 10,000 more to emerge! The state BJP will install 10,000 flag poles from November 1 for the next 100 days across the state. The 10,000th pole will be in Panaiyur from where the police removed it. DMK’s days are getting numbered by their cowardly actions.”
BJP national co-in-charge of Tamil Nadu Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy also condemned the arrest. BJP leader C T Ravi said repeated arrests of party members by the “fascist DMK government is evidence that the BJP is growing rapidly in the land of saint Tiruvalluvar.”