Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday alleged that “some forces instigated” the untoward incidents in Washermanpet in Chennai, where a group of Muslim residents had organised protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) last Friday .
“Tamil Nadu has witnessed similar protests, demonstrations and rallies in the past. The police officers provided security and no untoward incidents were witnessed. Now some forces instigated these incidents,” he charged while responding to DMK leader M.K. Stalin who raised the issue of police action against the protesters in Washermanpet.
Mr. Palaniswami said the Muslim community should reject false propaganda and acts of the miscreants and cooperate with the government to maintain social harmony. “The government of Amma (Jayalalithaa) will not allow anything against the minorities and it will remain a protector,” the Chief Minister said.
Pointing out that permission for the protest was sought on behalf of 13 mosques only on February 13, the Chief Minister said that suddenly, 300 Muslims including 200 women assembled at the roundtana and raised slogans against the CAA.
“The police held talks with them and advised against protests since it had thrown traffic flow out of gear. But they rejected the advice, raised slogans and resisted the police from detaining 40 persons. When the police kept the arrested persons in a bus, they smashed the window of the vehicle,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the protest resumed at 6 p.m. following which a warning was issued as the protest was causing inconveniences to the public and had affected traffic flow. “They were asked to disperse. But the protesters threw bottles, chappals and stones at the police. Rajamangalam Sub-Inspector Rajkumar, constables Udayakumari and Kala were injured. IPS officer Vijayakumari was hit by a stone,” he said.
Mr. Palaniswami said barricades were put up to prevent the protesters from causing damage to public property, but the protesters instigated the local people to push the barricades and the police. He added that 82 protesters were arrested and they broke the windows of the bus.
The Chief Minister said the death of an elderly man Fazurulla due to natural causes was distorted as a death in the police action and it led to protests in Chennai and other areas.
