BJP team gathers details on ‘attacks’ on party cadre

CHENNAI: A four-member BJP delegation led by former CM of Karnataka Sadananda Gowda called on Governor RN Ravi on Saturday and submitted a memorandum highlighting ‘atrocities and harassment’ allegedly committed on their cadre by TN police. The delegation, comprising Satyapal Singh, MP, D Purandeswari, Andhra Pradesh BJP president, and P C Mohan, MP, Bengaluru central, alleged that constitutional provisions are ignored and a fear psychosis is being created against people, particularly the BJP.

The delegation met families of BJP workers arrested for protesting against the removal of a flagpole near BJP TN unit chief K Annamalai’s house. The delegation wanted the governor to seek an explanation from the chief secretary and senior police officials about the incident.

“The delegation will submit a report about what is going on against BJP functionaries in Tamil Nadu to the party’s national president JP Nadda soon. We will also request Union Home Minister Amit Shah to look into this issue,” Gowda told reporters at the BJP’s state headquarters.“I want to tell Stalin, just because you are in power, don’t think you can use the police and manhandle our karyakartas and restrict our political activity,” he added.

Answering reporters, Purandeswari said, “During the past two years, 409 cases have been filed against BJP functionaries in Tamil Nadu. We want to know whom is the DMK government working for. Stalinji is behaving like the CM of DMK and not Tamil Nadu. It is his prime duty to safeguard all citizens. Except for the DMK cadre, we don’t see any protection for other parties.”

The police detained about 120 party workers, including 19 women, in a marriage hall for protesting and cases were registered against six of them under non-bailable sections to disrupt Annamalai’s statewide padayatra, Purandeswari alleged.