Tamil Nadu BJP mounts pressure on DMK government for action over attacks on BJP-RSS members

In addition to the raids, 11 leaders and functionaries of PFI-SDPI were arrested by the NIA on Thursday.

Annamalai also pointed out that despite the series of attacks against BJP-RSS workers, Chief Minister MK Stalin was yet to issue a statement condemning the incidents.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, the BJP state president issued a warning to the DMK government that if it failed to bring the situation under control immediately, the Central government could also intervene to ensure that “internal security” was maintained in Tamil Nadu.

Have written to our Hon HM Shri @amitshah avl on the deteriorating law & order situation in our state, Tamil Nadu.
Petrol Bomb, Damaging private property have become the norm for anti- national forces which DMK govt is finding it hard to reign them in. pic.twitter.com/N7kVO01jrH

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) September 24, 2022

Threatening counter-action against PFI members by BJP cadres, Annamalai said: “The PFI should think about what would happen if our cadres get on the ground and take the law into their own hands. For how long can they stay patient? I have said this before. We are not Jesus Christ to show you the other side of the cheek when you slap us. Everyone has patience. But that’s only till a certain point. The police should bring the situation under control as soon as possible.”

During the day, a delegation of the Tamil Nadu BJP also met the state’s Home Secretary Phanindra Reddy and Director General of Police (DGP) C Sylendra Babu over the violent incidents.

While demanding the immediate arrest of the perpetrators, the BJP delegation — comprising BJP state vice-presidents Karu Nagarajan and Narayanan Tirupathy, among others — demanded protection for the BJP-RSS leaders.

Additionally, they also asked for security to be tightened at sensitive locations to prevent future attacks.

Incidents in the last 24-48 hours

At least 10 petrol bomb attacks have taken place in the last 24-48 hours at the residences or business establishments of BJP-RSS functionaries in Tamil Nadu. No casualties or injuries have been reported in any of these instances.

Petrol bomb found inside a plywood store in Mettupalayam, Coimbatore. (Supplied)

Apart from the three Molotov cocktail attacks reported in Coimbatore on Thursday night, with targets including the BJP’s district headquarters, a textile shop and a welding accessory shop belonging to a local BJP functionary on 100 Feet Road, four incidents were reported between Friday and Saturday at the residences of BJP members in Kovaipudur and Kuniyamuthur areas and two plywood stores in Mettupalayam.

Similarly, a petrol bomb was hurled at the residence of RSS leader Seetharaman in Tambaram near Chennai in the early hours of Saturday. The petrol bomb fell in the car parking area of his residence and no major damage was reported.

Near Sathyamangalam in the Erode district, unidentified men threw a petrol bomb at a location where three cars belonging to a former BJP town treasurer, who runs a travel service, were parked. The cars were damaged in the incident.

On Saturday night, two unidentified bike-borne men hurled three petrol bombs at the residence of RSS functionary MH Krishnan in the Madurai district. Though Krishnan and his family were inside the house,  no one sustained any injury.

CCTV visuals of unidentified men hurling three petrol bombs at the residence of a RSS functionary in Madurai ??

Police investigation underway. @TheSouthfirst pic.twitter.com/CXaMOKXh4Y

— Shilpa (@Shilpa1308) September 24, 2022

Vehicles set on fire

Apart from the petrol bomb attacks, vehicles belonging to BJP-RSS workers were also set on fire in different places.

For instance, in the Dindigul district, BJP member Senthil Balraj’s car shed was set ablaze by miscreants. One car and four two-wheelers were damaged in the fire. CCTV visuals of the incident have been retrieved by the cops.

Picture of four bikes belonging to BJP member in Dindigul that were damaged after miscreants set it ablaze.

Similarly, in Ramanathapuram, two cars belonging to Dr Manoj Kumar, a BJP sympathiser, were set on fire by two unidentified men.

CCTV visuals showed two men wearing a mask and a cap entering the compound where the cars were parked and setting the cars on fire using an inflammable liquid. They then fled the spot.

On Thursday, stones were pelted at a government bus in Kuniyamuthur by an unknown man. The Coimbatore police are investigating this case, too.

Similarly, four vehicles — two autorickshaws and two cars — were damaged by unidentified men near Kumaran Nagar in Pollachi, an area under the jurisdiction of the Coimbatore rural police.

According to the police, these vehicles belonged to members of the Hindu Munnani and the BJP. The windscreens of the vehicles were found damaged.

Though the respective district police are investigating these cases, no arrests have been made so far.

Security stepped up in Coimbatore

Following the seven petrol bomb attacks and other incidents, security was stepped up across the Coimbatore district on Saturday.

According to top officials in the police department, eight companies of the Tamil Nadu Special Police, two companies of the Rapid Action Force, and personnel from the commando force and special task force were deployed in the district to maintain law and order.

More CCTV cameras were also installed in many places. Picketing and patrolling by the police have also been intensified.

Coimbatore Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan told South First the cops have made “substantial progress” in terms of the investigation, and that it was only a “matter of time” for arrests to be made in connection with the violence.

Coimbatore district collector GS Sameeran, Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan, SP Badri Narayanan and West Zone IG R Sudhakar briefed the media on Saturday.

In another incident, the city police arrested two members of the Bharat Sena for allegedly assaulting and threatening an SDPI worker.

Further, Coimbatore District Collector GS Sameeran along with Police Commissioner Balakrishnan, Coimbatore SP Badri Narayanan, and West Zone Inspector General of Police (IG) R Sudhakar held a meeting to review the situation on the ground.

The officials also held separate peace meetings with over 90 Jamaat leaders and representatives from the Hindu community.

Sameeran told reporters: “There is no need to panic or worry. CCTV visuals have been retrieved and action will be taken against the miscreants soon… There are some posts on social media that are causing panic among people. Wrong information about ‘explosions’ is being spread. No explosion has taken place. Action will be taken very soon against the perpetrators by the police.”

Chief secretary holds review meeting

With pressure mounting on the DMK government, Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu chaired a meeting via video conference with the collectors and police heads of 17 districts where untoward incidents have been reported in the last few days.

The Tamil Nadu DGP, the Home Secretary, Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal, and the state’s intelligence chief Davidson Devasirvatham were also present at the meeting.

The officials have been directed to take measures to maintain law and order and prevent incidents of violence. They were also instructed to focus on the investigation and arrest the accused immediately.