The police on Saturday arrested six people from the Tamil Nadu BJP, including its head of the sports and skill development cell Amar Prasad Reddy, following the drama on Friday night in front of the house of party’s State president K. Annamalai in Panaiyur on East Coast Road over the removal of the party’s flagpole erected without approval.
According to the police, the roughly 45-foot-tall flagpole, erected without permission, was causing hindrance to the public and posed a safety risk due to its proximity to electric cables. When the police and civic authorities went to remove the flagpole on Friday night, a group of BJP functionaries and cadre who had gathered at the spot resisted the move.
A release by the police said that around 110 persons, led by the party’s State vice-president Karu. Nagarajan, staged a demonstration and entered into confrontation with the officials despite warning. The police said a few cadre pelted stones at the earthmover brought to remove the flagpole, in which the window panes of the vehicle were damaged.
The police had to use force to evict the cadre and ensure the removal of the flagpole. While 110 people were initially detained, the police released all of them except five men who were allegedly involved in causing damage to the vehicle. Later on Saturday, the police arrested Mr. Reddy for his alleged involvement in the incident All the six were remanded to judicial custody.
Party leaders oppose
Speaking to the media, Mr. Nagarajan alleged that it was customary to have flagpoles in front of the houses of State leaders of all political parties. “If the pole had to be removed following objections raised by a few people, then will the government remove unauthorised flagpoles of the ruling DMK if the BJP raised complaints,” he asked, alleging that flags of other parties had been erected closer to the road at multiple places along the East Coast Road.
On the attack on the earthmover vehicle, he said the cadre only tried to “push the vehicle” but did not throw stones at it. The party alleged that Vivin Bhaskaran, one of its functionaries, sustained injuries in the police lathicharge.
Mr. Annamalai said the people of Tamil Nadu will soon teach a lesson to the DMK, which according to him was acting in arrogance and avenging the BJP for criticising the DMK’s “corrupt and inefficient” government. Stating that the “draconian” DMK was no match to the perseverance of the BJP cadre, he said the party will install 10,000 flagpoles across the State within the next 100 days. A number of BJP leaders condemned the arrest of the six persons, especially Mr. Reddy.
