On Tuesday in Delhi, former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai slammed the Delhi Police for arresting members of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Annamalai said the police action is a "real disservice" and warned that incarcerating CJP leaders would only strengthen their campaign. He also urged authorities to address the party's questions about electoral roll revisions rather than detaining its members.
The CJP, known for its satirical take on politics, has been staging protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a move that has drawn criticism from opposition leaders. Annamalai acknowledged that Rahul Gandhi has every right to question the SIR, but cautioned against damaging democratic institutions.
Annamalai's comments come after the Delhi Police carried out a raid that detained several CJP activists, a move that has sparked debate about the limits of law enforcement in political disputes. He accused the police of "taking the law into their own hands" and suggested that judicial recourse was being sidestepped.
The arrest has intensified scrutiny of Delhi Police's handling of political dissent, with opposition groups calling for a review of the raid and the broader SIR process. Annamalai said the government must respond to the CJP's grievances to avoid inflaming public sentiment further.