K Annamalai, former Indian Police Officer (IPS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate for Aravakurichchi assembly seat in Tamil Nadu was challenged by a local village jamaat’s (Muslim society body) order banning the party and Annamalai from entering their village.
In a video that is making the rounds on social media, the former IPS officer turned BJP leader was seen talking openly that the party will enter Pallapatti and the party does not need the jamaat’s permission to enter the village for electioneering.
BJP Aravakurichi candidate Shri. Annamalai's response to Jamaat's ban on BJP entering Pallapatti for seeking votes. Annamalai emphasized that he understands and respects Islam. He challenges Jamaat members for a debate on Islam. Jamaat must facilitate people to know and decide pic.twitter.com/hSb9MLTTVr
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He further said that he was willing to debate the BJP’s record on welfare schemes and social reform initiatives targeted at the Islamic community and he is willing to debate the BJP’s performance for the last six years against the Congress’ ten years in power from the perspective of welfare schemes aimed at minorities.
The Singham, as he was fondly known, also said it was the BJP that got rid of Triple Talaq and how Modi helped Muslim women. Annamalai who has experience in handling law and order situations, issued a challenge saying that he was willing to debate the best theology scholar the jamaat can send and a group of people cannot speak for the entire Islamic community or religion.
Annamalai went on to say that the jamaat should change its name to the main opposition party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and not just act as its extension and said that Muslim women will give more votes to the BJP alliance then the DMK.
The jamaat is very strict in this area and said that the women of the community must adhere to a strict Islamic dress code (burka) and women must not attend political meetings.
Annamalai had served in the Karnataka cadre for 10 years before resigning from the police service in 2019 and got the name Singham of Karnataka for his sense of justice and service and held the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru South) prior to his resignation.
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