annamalai-detained-in-coimbatore-during-black-day-protest

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai, along with several party leaders, was detained in Coimbatore on Friday while protesting against the state government.

 

The protest was sparked by the funeral procession of SA Basha, the mastermind behind the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts, which claimed the lives of 56 people and injured many others.

 

Annamalai strongly criticised the Tamil Nadu government, alleging that it prioritised vote-bank politics over public safety. In a post on social media platform X, he accused the DMK government of supporting individuals linked to terrorist activities.

 

He stated that the peaceful Black Day rally, which included leaders from Hindu Munnani and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, was disrupted by the police.

 

Annamalai expressed concerns about the government's decision to provide security for the funeral procession of a convicted terrorist, highlighting the disregard for public sentiment and safety.

 

He claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu would hold the government accountable for its actions.

 

Union Minister L Murugan also condemned the DMK government for allowing the funeral procession. He described the move as a direct insult to the victims of the bomb blasts and their families.

 

Murugan pointed out that the 1998 attack had targeted senior BJP leader LK Advani, resulting in significant loss of life and injuries.

 

Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan added to the criticism, questioning whether the Tamil Nadu government was endorsing acts of terrorism. He referred to the procession as an inappropriate tribute to a person responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians.

 

Radhakrishnan also criticised the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for his alleged inaction during the period leading up to the bombings.

 

SA Basha, who founded the Al-Ummar organisation, was serving a life sentence for orchestrating the Coimbatore blasts. He passed away due to illness while out on parole.

 

Despite his criminal record, his funeral procession was held with police security, which many political figures saw as a controversial move.

 

DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan, however, defended the procession, asserting that it was a family matter and that the government had no involvement in organising it. He dismissed the criticism as political opportunism, maintaining that everyone has the right to perform the last rites of their loved ones.