Annamalai writes to Amit Shah on black flag protest against T.N. Governor

The BJP leader says Stalin should either apologise to the Governor or resign

Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday seeking suitable action against those who spearheaded ‘violent protests’ against Governor R.N. Ravi in Mayiladuthurai and those who failed to take appropriate measures on the ground to prevent it.

Separately, Mr. Annamalai told The Hindu that the DMK government had miserably failed in maintaining law and order and what happened to the Governor’s convoy in Mayiladuthurai was uncalled for. He said the Centre, using all means available within the Constitutional limits, must take complete control of the Governor’s security. He also demanded that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin should either apologise to the Governor or resign.

“You (DMK government) have created a situation where the Governor’s security has been directly compromised. You have allowed people right next to the convoy and when that convoy was passing, a stone was pelted on the convoy, flags were thrown. The DMK government is using all the tricks of the trade to make the Governor feel threatened,” he said.

In his letter to Mr. Shah, Mr. Annamalai said for the past three days, Mr. Stalin had been making contemptuous remarks against the Governor for delaying the passage of NEET exemption Bill.

He said the protest against the Governor looked planned and was similar to the protests in September 2019 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Chennai. “The DMK, as a party, thinks it can threaten a constitutional authority by resorting to such unlawful means,” he said, adding certain slogans were raised and flag poles, stones and water bottles were thrown at the Governor’s convoy. The police did not disburse the crowd but merely stood there, he said.

“If this DMK government cannot guarantee safe passage for a Governor, the plight of the people is unimaginable. This reflects the alarming law and order situation in the State,” he said, and demanded that the officers who had failed in their duty should face the consequences.

He said if the DMK planned to unleash violence on the Governor, the BJP was ready to fight it out, but hoped such a situation might not arise. What happened was not connected to the NEET issue but due to the fact that the Governor was aware of many corruption issues and raising questions. “They are feeling threatened. They are using NEET as a ruse. They don’t want the Governor to perform his Constitutional duties, lawful duties, to ask questions,” he said.