Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and others being detained by police during a protest rally, in Coimbatore. The BJP on Friday held a "Black day procession" here condemning the "glorification of a terrorist," and police detained party state unit president K Annamalai and leaders of Hindu outfits.Photo: PTI Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and others being detained by police during a protest rally, in Coimbatore. The BJP on Friday held a "Black day procession" here condemning the "glorification of a terrorist," and police detained party state unit president K Annamalai and leaders of Hindu outfits.Photo: PTI Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai has ramped up his campaign to oust the MK Stalin-led DMK governmentlodi casino, announcing plans for a series of protests and a 48-day fast, following the Anna University sexual assault case in Chennai.
In a dramatic move, Annamalai vowed to lash himself with a whip six times outside his residence and embark on a barefoot protest until the DMK government is removed from power.
“Tomorrow, I will hold a protest in front of my house, where I will whip myself 6 times. Starting from tomorrow, I will fast for 48 days and appeal to the six-armed Murugan. Tomorrow, a protest will be held in front of the house of every BJP member. From tomorrow until the DMK is removed from power, I will not wear sandals. There must be an end to this,” speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Annamalai said.
நாளை, 27.12.2024: சாட்டையால் அடித்துக் கொள்ளும் கவன ஈர்ப்புப் போராட்டம்.தமிழக மக்கள் மிகவும் பண்பானவர்கள். அமைதியானவர்கள். பொறுமை மிக்கவர்கள். கடந்த நான்கு ஆண்டுக்கால திமுக ஆட்சியில், போதைப் பொருள்கள் புழக்கம் அதிகமாகி, சட்டம் ஒழுங்கு சீர்கெட்டு, பெண் காவலர்கள், அரசு…
Pool A will consist of the defending champion Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB – Indian Railways), along with Indian Army – Red, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Hockey Maharastra and Hockey Unit Of Tamil Nadu (HUTN).
Meanwhile, South Korea were knocked out by the defending champions, India, with a 1-4 defeat in the semi-final. In their pool stage encounter, South Korea had previously played to a 2-2 draw against their next opponent, Pakistan.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 26, 2024His actions are aimed at drawing attention to what he calls the Tamil Nadu government's failure to take action against the accused, a man allegedly linked to the ruling DMK.
The BJP leader, backed by photographs of accused Gnanasekaran with Deputy CM, claims that the accused is a deputy organizer of the DMK's Saidai East student wing. “The accused is a repeat offender, emboldened by his connection to the ruling party,” Annamalai said, accusing the police of deliberately protecting him. He also demanded an inquiry into the use of Nirbhaya funds meant to prevent such crimes.
However, the Tamil Nadu Law Minister refuted these claims and said that Gnanasekaran is not even a primary member of the ruling party and that the police arrested the accused within six hours of the incident, exhibiting the swift action taken by the government.
ALSO READ| Anna University Sexual Assault: Law Minister Denies DMK Connection; Opposition Leaders Arrested Amid Protest
Earlier on Thursday, BJP members staged protests as they attempted to demonstrate against the alleged police inaction, where senior BJP leaders, including former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, were detained by the police.
The AIADMK also joined in, organizing protests across Tamil Nadu. Led by party leaders D Jayakumar and B Valarmathi, AIADMK cadres raised slogans against the DMK government, demanding justice for the victim and immediate action against the accused.
National Commission for Women takes suo moto cognizanceThe National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken cognizance of the case, condemning the accused’s actions and urging the Tamil Nadu police to take stringent action. The NCW has called for the application of Section 71 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which deals with repeat offenders, and demanded that the police provide detailed records of all previous cases involving Gnanasekaran.
"The NCW has taken suo moto cognizance of the disturbing sexual assault of a 19-year-old student from Anna University, Chennai. The NCW highlights that the accused is a habitual offender, with Tamil Nadu Police failing to act on previous cases. This negligence has emboldened him… pic.twitter.com/ihWhshDkWk
— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2024“It has been observed by the Commission that the accused is a habitual offender and has even committed similar crimes in the past, and is the deputy organizer of the DMK's Saidai East student wing. Furthermore, it has been alleged that all cases registered against him are being shelved,” NCW statement read.
The Commission also expressed concern over the disclosure of the victim's identity by the police and called for strict action against the responsible officers. Annamalai and other leaders from opposition parties echoed this criticism, with Annamalai particularly accusing the DMK of being complicit in disclosing the victim’s identity.
Gnanasekaran’s criminal historyInvestigations have revealed that Gnanasekaran, who has been arrested in connection with the sexual assault, has a long criminal history, with involvement in at least 10 previous cases. According to the police, Gnanasekaran had been intimidating the victim for some time, even threatening to release a video clip of her and her male friend if she refused to comply with his demands.
ALSO READ| Tamil Nadu: Protests Erupt After Anna University Student Sexually Assaulted On Campus, Accused Arrested
big spin casinoThe accused allegedly sexually assaulted the victim and continued to pressure her into meeting him laterlodi casino, using the threat of the video to coerce her. The incident has sparked widespread outrage across Tamil Nadu, with both opposition parties and social activists demanding justice for the victim.