Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai has been booked by the police in Dharmapuri district for allegedly promoting enmity between different religious groups.
The police took the step Wednesday after a youth from Bommidi came forward with a complaint after Annamalai’s visit to the Mount Carmel church as part of the ‘En Mann, En Makkal (My Soil, My People)’ yatra on 8 January.
Police have booked the BJP leader under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 505 (2) (statements leading to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
The BJP leader was confronted by crowds which stopped him from garlanding the idol of Mary, questioning his intentions of going to church and accusing him of promoting religious politics.
He also faced questions on the BJP government’s ‘silence’ in the ongoing Manipur ethnic conflict, where many of the victims were Christians.
Even though Annamalai tried pacifying them, the protesters refused to budge and eventually the BJP leader lost his cool and argued with one of them.
In videos widely shared on social media, Annamalai is purportedly heard challenging the protesters about what would happen if he brought 2,000 people and did a dharna at the shrine. He then goes on to garland the idol, under police cover.
Calls to the police went unanswered. This report will be updated as and when a response is received.
BJP state vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy contended that the police should have taken action against the protesters for creating a law and order problem during Annamalai’s visit.
“I strongly condemn the action against Annamalai. He had gone to the church to worship. Anyone can worship god anywhere; that is a human right. Here, the police should have taken action against those who obstructed Annamalai and tried to create a law and order problem when he was there. Instead, they have taken action against Annamalai,” Thirupathy told ThePrint.
The police action is proof of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s ‘anti-Hindu mindset’, he alleged.
“A person who went to worship has been booked. Whereas a person (read, Udhayanidhi Stalin) who said the Sanatan Dharma should be eradicated, is being felicitated. This is what the Dravida model is,” the BJP state vice-president said.
This is an updated version of this report
(Edited by Tony Rai)