28 arrested for staging black flag protest against L. Murugan

Twenty-eight members of Aathi Thamizhar Peravai (ATP), a Dalit organisation, were removed by the police at Dharapuram here on Tuesday for allegedly attempting to stage a black flag protest against Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan.

Mr. Murugan continued his ‘Makkal Aasi Yatra’ in Tiruppur district on Tuesday.

According to the police, the ATP members were preparing to show black flags to Mr. Murugan near the Dharapuram Bus Terminus alleging that he made derogatory remarks against DMK government at a meeting in Coimbatore on Monday. This led to a verbal altercation between the ATP members and the BJP cadre. Following this, the Dharapuram police removed 28 ATP members. They were detained in a wedding hall and released in the evening, the police said.

Party sources said Mr. Murugan reached Tiruppur on Monday evening upon completing the yatra in Coimbatore district along with BJP State president K. Annamalai. On Tuesday morning, he garlanded the statue of Sundarambal, a freedom fighter from Tiruppur. Later, he addressed a public meeting at Dharapuram. He then proceeded to Kangeyam and left for Erode on Tuesday afternoon.

At Arachalur, Mr. Murugan said it was the first time in independent India that 12 persons from the Scheduled Castes were made ministers at the Centre. He blamed the DMK and the Opposition members for interrupting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during introduction of the new Ministers. The Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) that enables States to draw up their own list will ensure social justice, he said and lauded Mr. Modi for bringing the Bill.

Mr. Murugan garlanded the portrait of freedom fighter Pollan at Arachalur. He also inspected a ratio shop in the area, interacted with the public at Veerappanchatiram in the city and left for Sankari in Salem district.

BJP functionaries, cadre booked

Coimbatore City Police registered multiple cases against BJP Coimbatore district president R. Nandakumar, deputy president Mathankumar and others for crowding at the launch of ‘Makkal Aasi Yatra’ by Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan at Kamarajapuram, during the reception given to him at the airport, and while placing flex boards at different parts of the city on Monday.