News Desk: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused former party leader K Annamalai of double standards after he criticised the Centre's response to protests against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The controversy erupted after Annamalai questioned the detention of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists and called for the government to address concerns over the electoral process.
Annamalai, who left the BJP in June 2026, criticised the handling of protests in a post on X on Wednesday. His remarks came after CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were released from custody following seven days of detention.
The former Tamil Nadu BJP president said people raising questions about the electoral process should not face indefinite imprisonment or be labelled anti-national or foreign agents. Although he expressed disagreement with some of the CJP's protest tactics, he strongly defended the activists' right to question the government and raise concerns about issues they considered important.
Annamalai also questioned the authorities' handling of due process and criticised what he described as a tendency to portray protests against the Centre as being backed by foreign forces.
He argued that the government should respond to questions about the electoral process rather than dismiss criticism through political arguments. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's earlier comments on the right to challenge the central government, Annamalai said that questioning those in power was a legitimate part of democracy.
BJP hits back at former leader
The BJP responded sharply to Annamalai's criticism, accusing him of changing his position after leaving the party.
Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said Annamalai had previously supported the SIR exercise, arguing that it was necessary to remove fake voters from electoral rolls. According to Thirupathy, his latest remarks showed inconsistency in his political position.
Thirupathy also defended the police response, saying Annamalai was overlooking the distinction between peaceful demonstrations and alleged violations of the law. He argued that Annamalai, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, should understand the challenges involved in maintaining law and order.
Another Tamil Nadu BJP leader, Vinod Selvam, defended the government's responsibility to maintain public order. He said peaceful protests deserved protection, while alleged violations of the law should be examined through the appropriate process.
CJP arrests spark political debate
The detention of Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka has intensified the political debate over the SIR exercise and the handling of demonstrations. According to the report, the two activists were arrested after allegedly entering the Jantar Mantar area despite restrictions on its use as a protest site.
The dispute has now developed into a broader political confrontation, with Annamalai questioning the Centre's response and the BJP defending its position on electoral roll revision and public order.
The episode highlights growing political disagreements over the balance between citizens' right to protest, the conduct of electoral revision and the authorities' responsibility to enforce the law.
Reader Comments 0