Arrests of functionaries in Tiruppur will be beneficial to BJP: Annamalai

The recent arrests of two functionaries from BJP’s youth wing in connection with the assault on a fruit vendor at Palladam in Tiruppur district will be beneficial to the party, said party State president K. Annamalai on Monday.

He visited the residences of BJP’s district youth wing secretary Ramesh and Palladam South union youth wing secretary Rajkumar, who were arrested and remanded in judicial custody on January 13 by the Palladam police. “I am happy in a way because after this incident, our party is going to get two important leaders,” he told mediapersons. These arrests would improve the “political maturity and experience” of the two functionaries, Mr. Annamalai claimed and alleged that the arrests were made to “please somebody.”

The two functionaries were arrested following a physical altercation between a few BJP members and a fruit vendor, who allegedly made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the party’s demonstration held at Palladam on January 12.

The BJP would conduct a demonstration on January 21 in Tiruppur demanding the State government to take steps to reduce yarn prices, he said. “The Central government will take all possible steps [to reduce yarn prices],” Mr. Annamalai said, adding that the State government too had “the responsibility” to intervene in this issue.

Arrangements would also be made for the industrialists from Tiruppur district to meet Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal regarding the yarn prices before the presentation of the Union Budget, he said.