Published Oct 21, 2026 | 9:08 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 21, 2026 | 9:08 PM
Annamalai alleged that he had faced "constant attacks" ever since he questioned the handling of the NEET-UG protests.
Synopsis: Former BJP leader K. Annamalai criticised the Centre’s handling of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, questioning police actions, preventive detention procedures and denial of bail. He alleged the BJP was giving the CJP publicity and urged the government to address concerns over due process and protest rights.
Former BJP state president and ‘We The Leaders’ founder K. Annamalai on Wednesday, October 21, launched a sharp attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government over its handling of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Annamalai said people had the right to oppose, debate and protest against issues they considered important, while expressing disagreement with the tactics adopted by the CJP. He also alleged that the BJP’s actions were giving publicity to the CJP.
In a post on X, the former BJP leader referred to PM Modi’s statements in 2011, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, and protests were going on against the Congress-led UPA regime in Delhi.
“In 2011, then Gujarat Chief Minister Thiru @narendramodi avl said that if his hands were not tied, he would have gone to Delhi and waged war against the central government. Thiru Narendra Modi avl made this statement in response to the police crackdown on the peaceful anti-corruption campaign led at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi. In my opinion, what the Hon PM said then was absolutely right, and there is nothing wrong about it,” Annamalai wrote.
Drawing a parallel with the current situation, he alleged that people could now be jailed indefinitely, their surety bonds could be rejected, and Special Executive Magistrates could exercise their powers in ways that raised serious questions about due process.
“If you question the violation of due process of law in a democracy, you would be called names, and a barrage of attacks would follow, including being labelled a Foreign Agent,” he alleged.
In 2011, then Gujarat Chief Minister Thiru @narendramodi avl said that if his hands were not tied, he would have gone to Delhi and waged war against the central government. Thiru Narendra Modi avl made this statement in response to the police crackdown on the peaceful anti-corruption campaign led at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi. In my opinion, what the Hon PM said then was absolutely right, and there is nothing wrong about it.
Today, you could be jailed indefinitely; your surety bonds could be rejected; and, surprisingly, a Special Executive Magistrate will play circles around you when he/ she is empowered to deal with preventive bond cases.
If you question the violation of due process of law in a democracy, you would be called names, and a barrage of attacks would follow, including being labelled a Foreign Agent.
Ever since I asked the Central Government to speak with the protestors during the NEET exam protests, I have faced constant attacks, but I let them pass because I felt it was important to focus on the issues on the ground in Tamil Nadu. I also, in a way, enjoyed this as it would quickly remove the tag of me being a BJP B Team and sent to TN as a Dhurandhar 😍
Yesterday during a press meeting, I questioned the Delhi Police’s methods of detaining protestors of CJP.
Since yesterday, the attacks have resumed, as expected. For some in the BJP, let me make this categorically clear, in case you have selective amnesia: I left the BJP on June 5, 2026.
As I mentioned yesterday, I might not agree with the tactics of the CJP, and I think many of theirs are misguided. But if you ask me whether they have a right to oppose/argue/protest on an issue that they think is important?
I would categorically say – YES.
So, I would like people to ask the questions again, even if it makes some of them uncomfortable, and I wish the Central Government would answer them instead of resorting to whataboutism.
https://t.co/U1VOaaWCLM was Jantar Mantar denotified as a protest site as per a standing order of the Ministry of Home Affairs after a letter was handed over by CJP seeking permission to conduct a protest?
https://t.co/Gn79sPgy7b long can we have a system that gives powers to an Asst Commissioner of Police as a Special Executive Magistrate who rules over whether to keep someone in preventive detention? The ACP of Delhi Police stands over the trial where Delhi Police is the complainant against the accused CJP. Now you know which way the wind will blow.
3.On October 19th, why did the Special Executive Magistrate, aka ACP of Delhi Police, deliberately arrive late for the bail hearing of those who were arrested from Jantar Mantar on October 13th and recuse himself, saying there is a threat to his life? Is this some kind of a joke?
4.Why were 8 sureties rejected, and why was the person who came for surety subjected to cross-examination by the Special Executive Magistrate?
5. Any action taken on pellet gun usage by the Delhi police or other actions on Delhi police who have violated the standard operating procedures against the protesters during the NEET fiasco stir?
Has no BJP karyakarta in Delhi violated any bond conditions during the previous Congress and AAP governments. I trust the same Delhi police were then also when barricades were jumped and orders disobeyed? How were they dealt with then? Like this?
Definitely – NO.
Now I hear that the detained functionaries of CJP were released by SEM after the case reached the High Court.
I also recently saw a cockroach effigy burned as part of the Dusshera celebrations. Out of curiosity, I tried to find out who is giving this free publicity at a National level. No surprises here. It was led by a BJP MLA, Ashok Goel.
My question again is: is the BJP opposing the CJP or giving it free publicity? Does it want the opposition votes to split by making CJP a bigger player? At this rate, the CJP couldn’t have asked for a better PR team, even if it had paid for one! (1/2)
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) October 21, 2026
Annamalai, once the most celebrated face of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, also alleged that he had faced “constant attacks” ever since he questioned the government’s handling of the protests against the NEET-UG paper leak in July. He said the attacks resumed after he raised similar questions regarding the recent CJP protests.
He added that he had, in a way, enjoyed the attacks because it could quickly remove the tag of being a BJP “B Team” member who had been sent to Tamil Nadu as a “Dhurandhar.”
“Ever since I asked the Central Government to speak with the protestors during the NEET exam protests, I have faced constant attacks, but I let them pass because I felt it was important to focus on the issues on the ground in Tamil Nadu. I also, in a way, enjoyed this as it would quickly remove the tag of me being a BJP B Team and sent to TN as a Dhurandhar,” he said.
“Yesterday during a press meeting, I questioned the Delhi Police’s methods of detaining protestors of CJP. Since yesterday, the attacks have resumed, as expected,” he added.
Addressing BJP supporters, Annamalai categorically stated that he had left the party months ago.
“For some in the BJP, let me make this categorically clear, in case you have selective amnesia: I left the BJP on June 5, 2026,” he wrote.
Also Read: Annamalai endorses CJP, says continued detention of Das and Ranka would only strengthen the movement
Annamalai further raised some “uncomfortable” questions to the central government and urged it to answer them “instead of resorting to whataboutism.”
He questioned the government over the denotification of Jantar Mantar as the designated protest site and the denial of bail to CJP leaders by an Assistant Commissioner of Police appointed as the Special Executive Magistrate.
“How long can we have a system that gives powers to an Asst Commissioner of Police as a Special Executive Magistrate who rules over whether to keep someone in preventive detention? The ACP of Delhi Police stands over the trial where Delhi Police is the complainant against the accused CJP. Now you know which way the wind will blow,” he wrote.
“On October 19th, why did the Special Executive Magistrate, aka ACP of Delhi Police, deliberately arrive late for the bail hearing of those who were arrested from Jantar Mantar on October 13th and recuse himself, saying there is a threat to his life? Is this some kind of a joke? Why were 8 sureties rejected, and why was the person who came for surety subjected to cross-examination by the Special Executive Magistrate?” Annamalai asked.
He also questioned the government on the progress of the investigation into the alleged use of pellet guns against protesters during the July protests.
“Any action taken on pellet gun usage by the Delhi police or other actions on Delhi police who have violated the standard operating procedures against the protesters during the NEET fiasco stir?” he asked.
“Has no BJP karyakarta in Delhi violated any bond conditions during the previous Congress and AAP governments? I trust the same Delhi police were then also when barricades were jumped and orders disobeyed? How were they dealt with then? Like this? Definitely-NO,” he wrote.
Annamalai also claimed that the BJP is helping the CJP gain publicity through its actions.
“I also recently saw a cockroach effigy burned as part of the Dusshera celebrations. Out of curiosity, I tried to find out who is giving this free publicity at a National level. No surprises here. It was led by a BJP MLA, Ashok Goel,” he wrote.
“My question again is: is the BJP opposing the CJP or giving it free publicity? Does it want the opposition votes to split by making CJP a bigger player? At this rate, the CJP couldn’t have asked for a better PR team, even if it had paid for one!” he claimed.
The former BJP leader also strongly criticised what he described as the tendency to label protests and statements against the central government as anti-national or as being funded by foreign forces.
“Lastly, enough of this anti-national thing. FCRA is controlled by MHA. All agencies don’t report to the opposition parties in the country. All the embassies outside are equipped with enough people to track any Indian national hand in glove with foreign enemies. It’s honestly very tiring and boring to see all protests and statements against the central government being called as anti-national and funded by forces outside,” he wrote.
“I have a feeling the central government forgets it’s been in power in Delhi for 12 plus years and still manufactures an enemy at all times to keep itself relevant. Sadly, that’s a pity!” Annamalai added.
Annamalai also stated that he had criticised the Congress party “in the same vein… asking what they were really doing while the SIR process was ongoing, and asked the opposition & CJP not to tar all the institutions of our democracy with a blank ink when some individuals could have erred!”
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
