Madurai: Madurai police have registered a criminal case against Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai and several other leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and Hindu Munnani for allegedly delivering provocative and communal speeches during the “Murugan Bakthargal Manaadu” held on June 22, as per a report by the Times of India.
The FIR, filed at the Anna Nagar Police Station, names key figures including K. Annamalai, BJP state chief Nainar Nagendran, RSS South Zone President Vanniyarajan, and Hindu Munnani leaders Kadeshwara Subramaniam and Muthukumar. The charges fall under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), particularly those addressing promotion of enmity between groups, incitement of communal hatred, and dissemination of false information intended to disturb public order.
The complaint was lodged by Vanjinathan, a representative of the Madurai Madha Nallinakka Makkal Kootamaipu, a secular citizens’ collective. He alleged that the speeches violated the conditions set by the Madras High Court, which had originally denied permission for the event due to potential risks to law and order. The court later granted conditional approval, stipulating that the event must remain apolitical and refrain from targeting any community.
However, speakers at the event reportedly violated these terms. In his speech, Annamalai made a cryptic remark, stating the gathering symbolized a choice of “Swami over Nidhi”—interpreted as a veiled jab at Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, linking “Nidhi” to his name and positioning “Swami” as a symbol of religious supremacy.
The controversy deepened when a video played at the event referred to prominent Dravidian leaders Periyar and C.N. Annadurai as “atheist jackals,” sparking widespread outrage across political lines. Even the BJP’s ally, the AIADMK, came under fire for the presence of four senior leaders at the event, despite its inflammatory tone. The AIADMK has since distanced itself, claiming its leaders believed the event would be a non-political spiritual congregation.
R.B. Udhayakumar of the AIADMK reiterated the party’s secular stance, quoting C.N. Annadurai’s line, “Even the flowers in the neighbour’s garden have fragrance,” to stress the importance of coexistence and harmony.
The Murugan Bakthargal Manaadu was the culmination of months-long mobilisations by Hindutva groups demanding exclusive Hindu control over Thiruparankundram Hill—a site that also includes a historic Sufi shrine and mosque. Right-wing groups have controversially labeled it the “Ayodhya of the South,” drawing parallels with the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site in Uttar Pradesh.
This is not the first time K. Annamalai has faced legal trouble. In December 2024, he and over 900 BJP workers were booked for unlawful assembly during a protest in Chennai. Earlier, during the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign, he was accused of violating the Model Code of Conduct by holding rallies past the permitted time.
