Amidst the Anna University sexual assault case, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai made a scathing critique of the DMK government with a self-flagellation protest, condemning its failure to maintain law and order, which has deteriorated to the extent that unscrupulous elements within its party are now brazenly trespassing into college campuses in Chennai to threaten and sexually harass students. Despite the gravity of the issue, the DMK IT wing shamelessly mocked Annamalai for his statement about symbolically whipping himself six times in front of his house on Friday as a protest against the government’s mishandling of the sexual harassment case.
This reflects the disheartening mentality of a party that claims to champion women’s rights and protection. Such actions expose the regressive policies they uphold, which, in turn, risk pushing women back into restrictive roles. This is evident from the aftermath of the incident, where Anna University hostel administration imposed a curfew requiring women to return to their hostels by 6:30 PM, signaling a troubling shift toward limiting women’s freedoms rather than addressing the root issues.
The DMK IT wing, through its official X account, mocked BJP President K. Annamalai by indirectly referencing him with a goat emoji and sharing a comedic video clip from Tamil actor Goundamani, depicting a scene of begging for alms whipping himself.
— DMK IT WING (@DMKITwing) December 26, 2024
What Did TN BJP Chief Annamalai Speak?
TN BJP President K. Annamalai announced on 26 December 2024, that he would refrain from wearing footwear starting 27 December, until the DMK government is removed from power. Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, he expressed his intention to whip himself six times in front of his house as a protest against the police’s mishandling of the Anna University sexual harassment case.
Annamalai strongly criticized the state police for leaking the victim’s personal details, including her name and phone number, from the FIR. He questioned how the FIR was made public and accused both the police and the DMK of shaming the victim by revealing her identity. He also raised concerns over the lack of security at Anna University, asking where the Nirbhaya Fund had gone and why there were no CCTV cameras on campus.
He took a swipe at Law Minister S. Regupathy, who claimed the state had been peaceful for three months but was disturbed after Annamalai’s return from London. Annamalai expressed his frustration with this kind of politics and vowed to end the “dirty politics” in Tamil Nadu. He said that instead of public protests, BJP cadres would now protest in front of their homes due to the arrests that typically followed public gatherings.
Annamalai further stated that he would fast for 48 days and visit the six Arupadai Veedu (Lord Muruga’s six abodes) in February to raise his concerns about the situation in Tamil Nadu. He emphasized that his political actions would mirror the behavior of the DMK leaders, criticizing the lack of safety for women in the state.
He also called for the removal of the Chennai city police commissioner or at least the dismissal of the deputy commissioner over the mishandling of the Anna University case. Annamalai urged the middle class to join the movement to remove the “evil force” (DMK) from power.
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