CHENNAI: The four-member national delegation of the BJP on Saturday accused the DMK regime of targeting and arresting its party workers fearing the growth of the saffron party in Tamil Nadu.
Talking to media persons after making a representation with the state governor in this regard, Andhra Pradesh state BJP president Purandeeswari, who is a member of the delegation, said that the only intention of the government was to harass the BJP party workers.
Stating that there was a lot of traction for TN BJP president K Annamalai's padayatra in the state, Purandeeswari said, "The people have started seeing the BJP as an alternative power in Tamil Nadu. We strongly believe the DMK is scared. That is why our party workers like Amar Prasad Reddy are being arrested."
The state BJP sports development Cell convenor was the core convenor of Annamalai's yatra and they (DMK) somehow want to disrupt the yatra and hence he has been arrested, the former union minister added.
Accusing the city police of also roughing up and wielding batons against BJP workers while removing the 'illegal' flagpole outside Annamalai's residence, the delegation said that flags of the DMK and SDPI still remain there.
Wondering why only the flagpole, without the flag, of the BJP was forcibly removed, the delegation asked, "Where was the need for the police commissioner to arrive at the spot. It was a very minor incident. As soon as arriving, he gave orders to lathi charge and secure the BJP workers. It shows that he is behaving like a DMK cadre."
409 cases registered in two years
Claiming that as many as 409 cases were registered against the BJP cadres by the Tamil Nadu government in the last two years for speaking out against the DMK government's policies, Purandeeswari said the cases were booked to threaten BJP workers and prevent them from coming out and working for the party.
Remarking that the Chief Minister was behaving like the Chief Minister of only DMK members, the delegation said that they would present a report to the BJP national president J P Nadda and if necessary, seek the intervention of union home minister Amit Shah.