BJP workers staged a protest here on Sunday to condemn the arrest of 350 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) volunteers for conducting a ‘shakha’ on the Devipattinam seashore in violation of regulatory orders on Saturday.
The protesters, led by BJP district president K. Shanmugaraja, demanded action against the police officers who made the arrests and withdrawal of the cases filed against the RSS men.
The police freed them immediately after registering cases under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. Addressing the protesters, senior BJP leader D. Kuppuramu said the police action was not an isolated incident, but part of a larger conspiracy to prevent Hindu outfits from carrying out their activities in the pilgrims centres of Devipattinam, Thirupullani and Rameswaram in the district. The arrest of the volunteers, who had come here for a working committee meeting, was unwarranted, he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
BJP State vice-president Suba Nagarajan and national council member K. Muraleedharan said it was regrettable that the police had arrested the volunteers when they had gone to the seashore for offering prayers for the welfare of the nation.
R. Vimal Kumar
writes from Tirupur:
ADVERTISEMENT
Twenty Hindu Munnani, RSS and Vishva Hindu Parishad activists were arrested for staging a demonstration without permission at Tirupur at 10 p.m. on Saturday against the arrest of RSS men at Ramanathapuram.
S. Ganesan
reports from Tiruchi:
In Tiruchi, VHP State secretary T. Guhan said it was a common practice for RSS volunteers to assemble for a yoga programme at any place. It was being conducted for peace and harmony. Since it was not an agitation, the organiser did not have to get permission. Furthermore, the shakha was held in a private place.