MAYILADUTHURAI: Around a hundred people were arrested on Tuesday for waving black flags at Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi's convoy while he was heading to Dharmapuram Aadheenam mutt.
Several political outfits have objected to the governor's visit to Mayiladuthurai. The parties, among other things, cited the delays made by the Governor in approving bills and resolutions passed at the assembly for their ire against the governor. They also condemned the alleged imposition of Hindi and Sanskrit in the state.
Around a hundred workers and functionaries of various political parties waved black flags at the governor's convoy near Mannampanthal as he was heading to the mutt.
The activists from outfits including Dravidar Kazhagam, DVK, VCK, CPI, CPM, MMK, SDPI and movements like Thamizhar Thanurimai Iyakkam, and Makkal Athikaram gathered at the side of Mayiladuthurai-Tharangambadi Road near AVC Autonomous College around 8.30 AM. They raised slogans such as "Go Back Governor" and "Go Back Ravi.’'
Hundreds of police personnel were deployed on both sides. The slogans increased in volume as the Governor’s convoy started to pass by Mannampanthal around 9.50 am. The protesters who were present on the left side waved flags at the convoy.
The police tried to barricade the protesters to prevent them from advancing. They also tried to bring a couple of police vans to block the protesters. Some of the protesters then started to hurl their flagpoles over the police personnels’ heads, at the passing convoy, which fell on the road. There was a brief scuffle between the police personnel and the protesters.
The police arrested the protesters after the governor passed by the spot. They took them to a private hall in Mannampanthal for detention.
BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai condemned the incident on Twitter. He termed it as a ‘compromise in Governor’s security. Annamalai stated the state government is fully responsible for the incident and called for the resignation of Chief Minister MK Stalin.
The governor was in Mayiladuthurai to participate in the foundation stone laying for the platinum jubilee memorial auditorium at Dharmapuram Aadheenam mutt and to flag off the seer 27th Gurumaha Sannithanam, Shri Masilamani Desiga Gnanasambandha Swamigal’s 10-day long 'Gnana Ratha yatra' to coincide with the ongoing Pushkaram festival in Kaleshwaram, Telangana.