Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Friday told the Assembly that anti-national elements, including some holding portraits of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, had infiltrated the pro-jallikattu protests, propagating anti-Republic Day sentiments.
The Chief Minister was responding to charges by Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin on the January 23 violence on the Marina beach.
He said anti-social elements had sought to derail the protests. Though the State had promulgated an ordinance facilitating the bull taming sport to honour people’s sentiments, a section of the protesters sought to raise unrelated demands, such as a solution for the Cauvery river water sharing row and a ban on products of multi-national companies, he said. “A section of protesters even demanded that Tamil Nadu be declared an independent nation and that Republic Day be declared a black day,” he said, adding there were images of Osama bin Laden on the protesters’ placards.
He also drew the attention of the House to a placard which proclaimed that “OPS [as the CM is known] is no more.”
Claiming that these anti-national elements not only tried to divert the protesting students but also made “objectionable” comments in public places, the Chief Minister said the police had obtained inputs that these elements were planning to extend the protests till January 26, show black flags on the Republic Day and disrupt the celebrations.
Tracing the history of the protests from January 12 when people from various organisations staged demonstrations and hunger strikes, he said that due to the widespread protests on January 19, rail traffic in various parts of the State was disrupted. However, the police ensured that law and order was not affected, he said.
