Tamilnadu BJP Chief and former IPS officer Annamalai remonstrated against the ruling DMK government in a strange manner today morning over the Anna University rape issue which sparked huge outrage all over the country. Annamalai flogged himself six times outside his Coimbatore residence as a mark of protest against the government’s inability to protect students and the incompetence of the Police department for not protecting the dignity of the victim by revealing the details in the FIR to the public.
Annamalai called it a shameful act and also vowed to oust the DMK government from power. On December 23rd, a second-year student of Anna University was allegedly raped by two men inside the campus when she was sitting in a secluded area with her friend. The accused, 37-year-old Gnanasekaran, is a roadside biriyani vendor from Kotturpuram. He was caught on Wednesday.
Annamalai on Thursday announced that he would forego wearing slippers until the DMK government is toppled in the state. He said he would undergo fasting for 48 days starting from December 27th and visit all six abodes of Lord Murugan across the state and offer prayers to help him achieve his goal.
Annamalai launched a scathing offensive against the ruling party for lack of public discourse in the state. Annamalai sought to know who was responsible for “leaking” the FIR of the sexual assault which gave away the identity of the survivor. “Is this the way to write an FIR? One will really doubt who is the accused? The offender or the survivor? It is a poorly drafted FIR ? Who will take responsibility for leaking the personal details of the victim ? he asked.
He also criticised the lack of CCTV surveillance at the university and questioned the state’s use of the Nirbhaya fund meant for women’s safety. He took swipe at the police for their role in mishandling the case and demanded the removal of the Chennai police commissioner or the deputy commissioner involved. He called for statewide demonstration at the homes of BJP supporters.
Annamalai’s strange protest and his aggressive harangues have now become a talking point all over the country. He hogged the limelight with his unique protest at his residence.