BJP Tamil Nadu condemned Vaiko’s “scandalous statement” in the Rajya Sabha, in which he alleged collusion between the Indian Coast Guard and the Sri Lankan Navy to harass Tamil Nadu fishermen. The party called it “a blatant lie and a malicious attempt to defame the Indian Army.” In its statement, the TN BJP declared, “This act constitutes treason, and Vaiko must be held accountable. His statement insults the Indian Army and threatens national security, undermining the country’s unity and integrity.”
During Zero Hour on March 19, Rajya Sabha MP Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), a Tamil Nadu regional political party, criticized the Indian Navy. Party leader Vaiko referred to the Navy as a “lame duck” and expressed alarm over the Sri Lankan Navy’s continuous persecution of Tamil Nadu fishermen.
தமிழக மீனவர்கள் அனாதைகளா? மீனவர் பிரச்சனை – கொந்தளித்த வைகோ.!#Parlement #Delimitation #FisherMan #SriLanka #Vaiko #Vaikospeech #NewsTamil #NewsTamil24x7 pic.twitter.com/XILnRN9U7z
— News Tamil 24×7 (@NewsTamilTV24x7) March 19, 2025
TN BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad stated, “Vaiko’s actions constitute a clear example of treason, as defined in BNS. His statement has the potential to create disaffection among Indian citizens towards the Indian Army and the Government of India, and to promote feelings of enmity and hatred between different groups of people.”
In another statement, the TN BJP urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate the human rights violations and high-handedness of the DMK government’s department against BJP members who peacefully protested against the Rs. 1,000 crore scam involving TASMAC, the sole IMFL-selling government undertaking. TASMAC allegedly cuts the sacred “thali” (Mangalsutra) of Hindu women by making them widows at young ages due to their husbands’ addiction to alcohol and its harmful health effects.
Prasad said, “The people of Tamil Nadu are closely following BJP State President Annamalai’s statement on the 17th, where he accused CM Stalin of being the primary culprit behind the Rs. 1,000 crore TASMAC corruption scandal under the DMK government. The Enforcement Directorate and the CM himself must respond to these allegations and explain the corruption within the TASMAC liquor corporation, which has devastated Tamil Nadu’s women.”
He urged the DMK government to release a white paper detailing the financial status of TASMAC, including its procurement and sales, over the past four years. Prasad added, “Prime Minister Modi’s strong stance against corruption is beginning to resonate deeply with the people of Tamil Nadu. Just as liquor-related corruption led to regime changes in Delhi and Chhattisgarh, the same will soon happen in Tamil Nadu.”
The BJP Tamil Nadu spokesman reminded the Chief Minister of his election manifesto promise to shut down TASMAC liquor shops. “As an act of atonement for deceiving women voters, he should dismiss Excise Minister Senthil Balaji and former Minister Muthusamy from the Cabinet. Stalin must take a stand as a leader representing women’s rights and set an example by fulfilling his commitment,” he said.
On Monday, the 17th, the Tamil Nadu BJP staged a democratic and peaceful protest against the Rs. 1,000 crore TASMAC scam. Unable to suppress, control, or dismantle this massive movement, the DMK government resorted to police brutality—something witnessed by the entire state.
Prasad said, “As BJP President Annamalai pointed out, the police denied permission for BJP protests for the seventh time. Instead, they unleashed severe crackdowns, arresting BJP workers, placing them under house arrest, and treating them like criminals simply for demanding justice. The police, acting as a tool of the DMK’s oppressive regime, blatantly violated human rights and the rule of law.”
He continued, “Former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP National Women’s Wing President Vanathi Srinivasan, Leader of Opposition Nainar Nagendran, and MLA Saraswathi were all publicly humiliated and detained by the police. The authorities transported them in police vehicles under the pretence of arrest, only to abandon them midway after failing to find space in overcrowded wedding halls where BJP workers were being detained. This cruel and arbitrary action by the police exposes the arrogance of the DMK government.”
The BJP leader further stated, “The Stalin-led government has now written one of the darkest chapters in Tamil Nadu’s political history. BJP members across the state were pre-emptively arrested, mentally harassed, and made to stand like criminals in police stations while being photographed and threatened. The National Human Rights Commission must take suo motu cognisance of these police excesses and initiate an inquiry.”
Prasad said, “Despite the severe human rights violations and oppressive tactics unleashed on BJP workers, the DMK government remains shamelessly unbothered. Instead of addressing these issues, Minister Sekar Babu, who panders to those looting temple properties and buys votes with grocery kits, had the audacity to call BJP State President Annamalai a ‘curse on Tamil Nadu politics.’ The BJP strongly condemns this statement.”
He pointed out that even women were detained beyond six o’clock, recalling Annamalai’s argument with police officers. Annamalai reportedly told them, “Either release us or produce us before a magistrate and remand us in jail. What you are doing is a clear violation and amounts to human rights violations. Henceforth, we will not inform you in advance about our protests and demonstrations. You will have sleepless nights hereafter. The situation will change after 2026.”
Prasad declared, “In the 2026 Assembly elections, the anti-people, corrupt DMK regime will be overthrown, and the BJP-led People’s Welfare Alliance will govern Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister Stalin is well aware of this and is resorting to gimmicks, appearing in different costumes and enacting scripted performances to mislead the public. By continuously using the police to suppress BJP protests, Stalin is reviving memories of the Emergency-era MISA law, behaving like a ‘MISA Chief Minister.’”
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