The Tamil Nadu Police on Friday detained BJP state unit chief K. Annamalai and leaders from various Hindu organisations following a "Black Day Procession" in Coimbatore. The protest condemned what the BJP termed as the "glorification of a terrorist" by the state government.
The demonstrators, including BJP workers and RSS-affiliated groups such as the Hindu Munnani, carried banners accusing the MK Stalin-led government of supporting "Coimbatore bomb blast terrorists."
The Controversy
The criticism stems from the state government’s decision to permit a funeral procession for SA Basha, the founder of the banned terror outfit Al-Umma. Basha, who was serving a life sentence for his role in the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts, passed away earlier this week due to age-related ailments while on parole.
Basha's body was carried in a procession from Siddique Ali’s residence in Ukkadam to the Hyder Ali Tippu Sultan Sunnath Jamaath Masjid in Flower Market for final rites. Reports suggest that between 2,000 and 5,000 police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed to ensure security during the funeral.
The state government’s decision to allow the procession drew strong criticism from Hindu organisations, including the BJP.
Annamalai’s Remarks
Annamalai took to X (formerly Twitter) to denounce the arrests and the state government’s actions. "We condemn the cowardly act of the DMK government for arresting the leaders and cadres of @BJP4TamilNadu for carrying out a rally condemning the glorification of a terrorist who caused the loss of 58 lives in the peace-loving city of Coimbatore in 1998. The DMK government should understand that the cadres of @BJP4TamilNadu will never bow down to such autocracy and will always be the voice of the people of Tamil Nadu," he wrote.
Before his detention, Annamalai addressed the protesters, saying, “Coimbatore is a peace-loving city that suffered a devastating attack in 1998. To glorify a terrorist is an insult to the victims and their families. We demand accountability from the state government."
The 1998 Coimbatore Bombings
The Coimbatore bombings were a series of coordinated attacks that claimed 58 lives and injured over 200. The blasts were orchestrated to disrupt an event featuring veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani.
In 2007, SA Basha and 12 others were convicted for their roles in the conspiracy, which involved acquiring gelatine and other explosives. Basha was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The BJP has criticised the DMK-led government’s actions as a grave insult to the victims of the 1998 terror attack, further escalating tensions between the state’s ruling party and opposition groups.
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