A total of 78 members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi were arrested on Monday after they resorted to a protest holding black flags and black balloons opposing Governor R.N. Ravi’s visit to Sittanavasal in the district on Monday. However, the Governor’s visit to Sittanavasal was postponed because of time constraint, said the police.
The protesters led by M. Chinnadurai, CPI(M) MLA from Gandaravakottai, assembled at Kattiyavayal near the Tiruchi-Karaikudi bypass carrying black flags and black balloons and staged a protest to express their opposition to the Governor’s visit. Their allegation was that the Governor was acting like a representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party and propagating the views of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Those arrested were later let off, the sources added.
The police had stepped up security in view of the visit of the Governor who had planned to see the cave paintings at Sittanavasal en route to Tiruchi airport from Karaikudi in the afternoon.
