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Annamalai’s response came after the BJP criticised him for backing the CJP protests demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter deletions.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai
Former BJP leader K Annamalai responded strongly to the party’s criticism for backing the ongoing protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying he did not need lectures from anyone on patriotism.
Annamalai had criticised the police action against protesters demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and argued that the government should address the questions raised by CJP rather than detain its members. He maintained that while he did not agree with the CJP’s mode of protest, he supported their questions.
His remarks triggered a strong response from the BJP, which accused him of blurring the distinction between peaceful protest and deliberate law-breaking and said that the right to protest did not give anyone the freedom to break the law.
In response, Annamalai said, “I have experience living and working in many states of the country. I know India’s unity and sovereignty. Therefore, no one needs to lecture me on patriotism.”
The ex-BJP leader highlighted his education from Lucknow and IPS experience, saying, “Show me someone who was born in Tamil Nadu, spent 12 years here, and then travelled across so many states. Then you can talk to me about patriotism.”
He also said all people in Tamil Nadu should remain united while discussing various intellectual perspectives. “Every state of India must grow. Equal opportunities for all, respect for democratic rights, protection for the nation’s sovereignty—this is our goal.”
BJP, Annamalai Spar Over CJP Protests
Earlier, Tamil Nadu BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy criticised Annamalai’s remarks while defending the police action against CJP leaders who were detained following protests linked to electoral roll revisions.
“Annamalai left the BJP in June 2026. He is free to criticise. His critique is weaker when it softens or omits the sequence of permission denial, prior undertakings, and physical breach of a restricted site. While Democratic rights include protest, they do not include a free pass to ignore conditions, bonds, and police barricades once permission is refused,” he said.
Narayanan also alleged that even after the CJP was denied permission at Jantar Mantar, the leaders responded by climbing locked gates and barricades, entering a denotified site, and violating earlier peace bonds.
Earlier, Annamalai questioned the Delhi Police’s methods of detaining CJP protesters. “I might not agree with the tactics of the CJP, and I think many of theirs are misguided. But if you ask me whether they have a right to oppose/argue/protest on an issue that they think is important? I would categorically say – YES,” he said.
Annamalai also questioned the handling of bail proceedings and asked whether the authorities were following due process. He said keeping leaders in prison could make them more popular.
Quick Answers
Ask News18K Annamalai faced criticism from the BJP for supporting the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests against the Special Intensive Revision and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The BJP accused him of blurring the line between peaceful protest and deliberate law-breaking.
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Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int…Read More
October 22, 2026, 22:20 IST
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