In a significant demonstration demanding justice for the alleged sexual assault of a second-year engineering student at Anna University, Tamil Nadu BJP Mahila Morcha leaders and cadres attempted to organise a rally from Madurai to Chennai on January 3. The rally, termed the “Justice Rally,” was intended to culminate in a memorandum submission to the Tamil Nadu Governor, urging swift action against the accused. However, the Tamil Nadu police intervened, preventing key BJP women functionaries from leaving their homes by deploying personnel in large numbers outside their residences—a move perceived as “house arrest” by BJP leaders.
Our valiant Sisters of @BJP4TamilNadu have assembled in Madurai despite desperate attempts of the DMK Govt to suppress our voices seeking justice.
The DMK government may unleash all its might to make @BJP4TamilNadu succumb to its tyranny. The cadres of BJP will, time and again,… pic.twitter.com/URj9azyb6z
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) January 3, 2025
The rally was spearheaded by prominent figures, including actor-turned-politician and BJP national executive member Khushbu Sundar, Tamil Nadu BJP Mahila Morcha president Uma Rathi, and Modakurichi MLA C.K. Saraswathi. The demonstrators symbolically carried anklets to evoke the legendary Silapathikaram heroine Kannagi, who sought justice from the Pandian king. The rally garnered enthusiastic support from women across party lines, who expressed solidarity with the survivor and condemned the state government’s inaction.
Anna University issue | TN BJP | Kushboo arrest | Madurai | Tamil Nadu | DMK | TN Police#Chanakyaa #annauniversity #kushboo #bjp #madurai #annamalai pic.twitter.com/H8HqVhvPqC
— சாணக்யா (@ChanakyaaTv) January 3, 2025
Despite preventive measures by the police, participants assembled in Madurai to stage their protest. However, the rally faced abrupt disruption when the police detained the protestors, including Khushbu Sundar and other prominent leaders, and confined them in a marriage hall in Madurai. BJP leaders alleged that the conditions in the hall were humiliating, with part of the venue occupied by goats and an unbearable stench pervading the premises.
Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai strongly condemned the arrests, accusing the ruling DMK government of suppressing dissent. Taking to social media platform X, he stated, “Under this DMK Govt in TN, history sheeters & sexual offenders roam freely under the disguise of being a DMK Functionary, but @BJP4TamilNadu functionaries are being constantly harassed for being the voice of the people.” He further criticised the government, questioning its fear of exposure for allegedly shielding criminals, and called for the immediate release of the detained BJP leaders.
குஷ்புவின் வீரமான பேச்சு.. 🔥
மதுரையில் சிலம்புடன் பெண்கள் பேரணி… 500 பிஜேபி பெண்கள் கைது. சார் மட்டும் விட்டுவிட்டு மற்ற எல்லாரும் கைது செய்ய படுகிறார்கள் @khushsundar @annamalai_k @BJP4TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/kf8haBnaZ6
— Saravanan (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@saravanan_Ind1) January 3, 2025
BJP national organising general secretary B.L. Santhosh echoed the criticism, labeling the DMK government’s actions as “draconian” and anti-democratic. “This is the situation in Tamil Nadu under @arivalayam, the so-called saviors of Constitution & Democracy,” he wrote on X. Dr. Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, BJP national co-in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, also condemned the DMK’s actions, calling them oppressive and autocratic. He demanded that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin take moral responsibility for the incident and transfer the case to the CBI or appoint a sitting judge for an impartial inquiry.
நீதி கேட்டுப் போராடிய கண்ணகி போல சிலம்பைக் கையில் ஏந்தி பாஜக மகளிர் அணி பேரணியைத் துவக்க இருக்கிறது.
எத்தனை தடைகள் வந்தாலும் அனுமதி மறுத்தாலும் பேரணி நடக்கும் என தலைவர் திரு.அண்ணாமலை அவர்கள் உறுதியளித்த நிலையில் மகளிர் அணித்தலைவிகள் வழிநடத்த நீதிப் பேரணி நடக்கும். மக்கள் மனதில்… pic.twitter.com/pfH9nFfA7d
— karthik gopinath (@karthikgnath) January 3, 2025
The rally was organised in response to the shocking incident that occurred on December 23, when the Anna University student was sexually assaulted on campus while with her friend. The accused, allegedly linked to the DMK, remains at large, fueling widespread outrage over the state government’s handling of the case.
The detained women leaders were released later in the day, but the episode has sparked a nationwide debate over women’s safety, government accountability, and the suppression of dissent in Tamil Nadu.
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