Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai, who quit the BJP in June 2026, has criticised the Centre and Delhi Police over their handling of protests by the CJP, questioning the alleged denial of due process to detained protesters. His remarks have now received support from Richardson Wilson, son of DMK Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson and a DMK spokesperson, who welcomed Annamalai’s position with the remark.
In a lengthy post on X, Annamalai defended the right to protest and questioned the procedures followed by Delhi Police and the Special Executive Magistrate in dealing with CJP protesters detained during demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
Referring to a statement made by Narendra Modi in 2011, when he was Gujarat Chief Minister, Annamalai said Modi had expressed his anger over the police crackdown on the anti-corruption campaign at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. Annamalai said he agreed with Modi’s position at the time and argued that concerns over due process remained relevant today.
He questioned the rejection of surety bonds, the handling of preventive detention proceedings and the alleged use of pellet guns against protesters during the NEET examination protests.
Annamalai also questioned why Jantar Mantar had reportedly been denotified as a protest site despite the CJP seeking permission to hold a demonstration. He further alleged that the Special Executive Magistrate, who was also an Assistant Commissioner of Police, had arrived late for a bail hearing on October 19 before recusing himself, citing a threat to his life.
Questioning the rejection of eight sureties, Annamalai asked why individuals offering surety had allegedly been subjected to cross-examination.
He also criticised what he described as the tendency to label protests against the Centre as anti-national or foreign-funded, arguing that the government should respond to questions about its actions instead of resorting to whataboutism.
“Ever since I asked the Central Government to speak with the protestors during the NEET exam protests, I have faced constant attacks, but I let them pass because I felt it was important to focus on the issues on the ground in Tamil Nadu,” he wrote.
Making his position on his former party clear, Annamalai added, “For some in the BJP, let me make this categorically clear, in case you have selective amnesia: I left the BJP on June 5, 2026.”
While stating that he might disagree with the CJP’s tactics, he defended its right to oppose, argue and protest.
“I would categorically say – YES,” he wrote in response to whether the organisation had the right to protest over issues it considered important.
Annamalai also accused the BJP of giving the CJP publicity by highlighting its protests and questioned whether the party was inadvertently helping the organisation expand its political reach.
In 2011, then Gujarat Chief Minister Thiru @narendramodi avl said that if his hands were not tied, he would have gone to Delhi and waged war against the central government. Thiru Narendra Modi avl made this statement in response to the police crackdown on the peaceful anti-corruption campaign led at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi. In my opinion, what the Hon PM said then was absolutely right, and there is nothing wrong about it.
Today, you could be jailed indefinitely; your surety bonds could be rejected; and, surprisingly, a Special Executive Magistrate will play circles around you when he/ she is empowered to deal with preventive bond cases.
If you question the violation of due process of law in a democracy, you would be called names, and a barrage of attacks would follow, including being labelled a Foreign Agent.
Ever since I asked the Central Government to speak with the protestors during the NEET exam protests, I have faced constant attacks, but I let them pass because I felt it was important to focus on the issues on the ground in Tamil Nadu. I also, in a way, enjoyed this as it would quickly remove the tag of me being a BJP B Team and sent to TN as a Dhurandhar 😍
Yesterday during a press meeting, I questioned the Delhi Police’s methods of detaining protestors of CJP.
Since yesterday, the attacks have resumed, as expected. For some in the BJP, let me make this categorically clear, in case you have selective amnesia: I left the BJP on June 5, 2026.
As I mentioned yesterday, I might not agree with the tactics of the CJP, and I think many of theirs are misguided. But if you ask me whether they have a right to oppose/argue/protest on an issue that they think is important?
I would categorically say – YES.
So, I would like people to ask the questions again, even if it makes some of them uncomfortable, and I wish the Central Government would answer them instead of resorting to whataboutism.
https://t.co/U1VOaaWCLM was Jantar Mantar denotified as a protest site as per a standing order of the Ministry of Home Affairs after a letter was handed over by CJP seeking permission to conduct a protest?
https://t.co/Gn79sPgy7b long can we have a system that gives powers to an Asst Commissioner of Police as a Special Executive Magistrate who rules over whether to keep someone in preventive detention? The ACP of Delhi Police stands over the trial where Delhi Police is the complainant against the accused CJP. Now you know which way the wind will blow.
3.On October 19th, why did the Special Executive Magistrate, aka ACP of Delhi Police, deliberately arrive late for the bail hearing of those who were arrested from Jantar Mantar on October 13th and recuse himself, saying there is a threat to his life? Is this some kind of a joke?
4.Why were 8 sureties rejected, and why was the person who came for surety subjected to cross-examination by the Special Executive Magistrate?
5. Any action taken on pellet gun usage by the Delhi police or other actions on Delhi police who have violated the standard operating procedures against the protesters during the NEET fiasco stir?
Has no BJP karyakarta in Delhi violated any bond conditions during the previous Congress and AAP governments. I trust the same Delhi police were then also when barricades were jumped and orders disobeyed? How were they dealt with then? Like this?
Definitely – NO.
Now I hear that the detained functionaries of CJP were released by SEM after the case reached the High Court.
I also recently saw a cockroach effigy burned as part of the Dusshera celebrations. Out of curiosity, I tried to find out who is giving this free publicity at a National level. No surprises here. It was led by a BJP MLA, Ashok Goel.
My question again is: is the BJP opposing the CJP or giving it free publicity? Does it want the opposition votes to split by making CJP a bigger player? At this rate, the CJP couldn’t have asked for a better PR team, even if it had paid for one! (1/2)
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) October 21, 2026
DMK MP’s Son Welcomes Annamalai’s Stand
Annamalai’s criticism of the Centre has drawn a notable response from Richardson Wilson, son of DMK Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson and a DMK spokesperson.
Reacting to Annamalai’s post, Richardson wrote, “Pinching myself! Welcome to the right side!”
Pinching myself! Welcome to the 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 side!
🇮🇳
— Richardson Wilson (@sine_lege) October 21, 2026
The response is notable given Annamalai’s former association with the BJP and his longstanding political opposition to the DMK in Tamil Nadu. Annamalai has since quit the BJP and is now associated with the We The Leaders organisation.
His latest remarks place him at odds with the Centre’s handling of the CJP protests, while Richardson’s response signals support from a DMK-linked political figure for his criticism of the government.
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