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Tamil Nadu BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy accused Annamalai of blurring the distinction between peaceful protest and deliberate law-breaking.
Former Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai. (PTI file photo)
The BJP on Wednesday hit back at former Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai over his criticism of the Delhi Police’s handling of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters, saying the right to protest does not give anyone the freedom to break the law.
Responding to Annamalai’s remarks on X, Tamil Nadu BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy accused him of blurring the distinction between peaceful protest and deliberate law-breaking.
“Rule of law applies to all sides,” Thirupathy said, defending the police action against CJP leaders who were detained following protests linked to electoral roll revisions and other issues.
Mr.Annamalai’s @annamalai_k questions deliberately blur the line between peaceful protest and deliberate law-breaking. CJP leaders were denied permission for Jantar Mantar on clear grounds. They responded by climbing locked gates and barricades, entering a denotified site, and… https://t.co/8mcTRtrB2c— Narayanan Thirupathy (@narayanantbjp) October 21, 2026
Annamalai, who left the BJP in June, had questioned the detentions and raised concerns over due process, the rejection of surety bonds and the role of a Special Executive Magistrate in deciding preventive detention cases.
‘Delhi Police Doing A Real Disservice’
Speaking to reporters earlier, Annamalai criticised the police action and argued that the government should address the questions raised by CJP rather than detain its members.
“Delhi Police is doing a real disservice,” he said, adding that he did not necessarily agree with the group’s methods of protest but supported its right to raise questions.
“I may not agree with their antics or mode of protest, but I completely support CJP in terms of the questions they want to raise,” he said.
Annamalai also questioned the handling of bail proceedings and asked whether the authorities were following due process. He said keeping leaders in prison could make them more popular.
BJP Says CJP Leaders Breached Conditions
Countering these allegations, Thirupathy said CJP leaders had been denied permission to protest at Jantar Mantar and later entered the site by climbing gates and barricades.
He said the detentions followed alleged violations of peace bonds and repeated unauthorised protests. The judicial proceedings, he argued, showed that the action was based on specific grounds rather than an absence of due process.
“The High Court later reviewed and released them. That is due process, not its absence,” he wrote.
Annamalai Questions ‘Anti-National’ Labels
Annamalai also questioned the tendency to label protests against the Centre as anti-national or foreign-funded. He urged the government to answer questions about police conduct, including allegations of pellet-gun use during the NEET protests.
“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,” the former BJP leader wrote on X.
He said democratic rights included the freedom to oppose and protest, even when the authorities disagreed with the cause.
“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.
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Ask News18The BJP criticized K Annamalai for his remarks on X questioning the Delhi Police handling of CJP protesters, with Tamil Nadu BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy stating that Annamalai blurred the line between peaceful protest and deliberate law-breaking.
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Tamil Nadu, India, India
October 21, 2026, 22:49 IST
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