The case against Annamalai comes after his visit to Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Dharmapuri district, on 8 January.
BJP TN chief Annamalai's visit to Lourdes Church in Dharmapuri district. (X)
An FIR has been registered against Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai, on Thursday, 11 January, for allegedly promoting religious enmity, the police said.
The case against Annamalai comes after his visit to Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Dharmapuri district, on 8 January, when he faced opposition from some young men.
An argument ensued between the saffron party leader and the youths. The locals raised the Manipur issue and the travails of Christians in the northeastern state.
Eventually, however, Annamalai garlanded a statue in the church and offered prayers.
இன்றைய தினம், தருமபுரி மாவட்டம், அரூர் சட்டமன்றத் தொகுதி, பி.பள்ளிப்பட்டியில் அமைந்துள்ள, தூய லூர்து அன்னை திருத்தலத்தில் இறை வழிபாடு செய்ய வாய்ப்பு கிடைத்ததில் மகிழ்ச்சி.
தமிழக மக்கள் அனைவரும் சகோதரத்துவத்துடனும் அமைதியுடனும், நலமுடன் வாழ அன்னையைப் பிரார்த்தித்துக் கொண்டோம். pic.twitter.com/DhNfiGvi5A
— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) January 8, 2024
The Dharmapuri district police said that a case has been registered following a complaint from a local resident.
Indian Penal Code Sections 153A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion etc), and 504 (provocation to cause breach of public peace) have been invoked against Annamalai, besides another section (505, sub-section 2) that deals with promotion of hatred, a police official said.
The Tamil Nadu BJP chief visited the Our Lady of Lourdes Church located at B Pallipatti area under the Harur Assembly segment during his “En Mann, En Makkal” (My Land, My People) yatra in Dharmapuri district.
In a strategic move to consolidate its position and popularity in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has announced the launch of a six-month long rally called the “En Mann, En Makkal” yatra.
Covering an distance of over 1,770 km, the padyatra commenced on 28 July, 2023, led by the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit president K Annamalai, through all 234 Assembly constituencies and 39 Parliamentary constituencies in the state. It was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Rameswaram.
Hours before the yatra commenced last year, Annamalai had told reporters, “This yatra is not about the vote bank. It is about bringing PM Modi back to power for a third straight term.”
The state BJP unit has focused on highlighting the achievements of Prime Minister Modi’s leadership and has garnered the support of the people to ensure his return for a third successive term.
On 11 January, Annamalai announced on X that the yatra had entered Hosur, the 150th constituency.
A moment of jubilant emotion when #EnMannEnMakkal yatra successfully entered Hosur as its 150th constituency today. In what was inaugurated on the 28th of July, 2023, in Rameshwaram by our Hon Home Minister Thiru @amitshah avl, the yatra has traversed the length & breadth of TN… pic.twitter.com/9lwtW4HTNx
— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) January 11, 2024
(With PTI inputs)
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