Tamil Nadu under Chinese threat, claims Annamalai

CHENNAI: BJP state president K Annamalai on Wednesday sounded an alarm over potential security threats to Tamil Nadu, citing China's growing presence in Sri Lanka and the alleged welcoming of ISIS elements in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing reporters after launching the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana scheme in Adyar, Annamalai emphasised the need for Governor R N Ravi to exercise vigilance and address these concerns from a law and order perspective.

The BJP leader contended that the Governor, with his rich experience in governance, is uniquely positioned to assess the security implications of China's expanding footprint in Sri Lanka.

Annamalai's remarks assume significance in the context of China's increasing strategic influence in the Indian Ocean region, with Beijing investing heavily in infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka, including the strategic Hambantota port.

The BJP leader also waded into the controversy surrounding the Jaffer Sadiq case, expressing concerns over the mysterious circumstances surrounding the investigation.

Annamalai highlighted the recusal of a justice from the case, the transfer of investigating officers, and the arrest of an officer who had probed the case, demanding a detailed explanation from the Director-General of Police (DGP) regarding the status of the investigation.

Furthermore, Annamalai addressed the demand by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), a key ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), for horizontal reservation for the Vanniyar community.

While acknowledging the PMK's right to pursue its policy objectives, Annamalai emphasised the need for proportional representation, underscoring the importance of balancing competing demands for reservation.

In a scathing attack on the ruling DMK government, Annamalai lambasted Chief Minister M K Stalin's handling of the recent sexual assault case at Anna University.

Questioning the Chief Minister's responsiveness to the situation, the former IPS officer alleged that the state's law and order machinery has broken down under the DMK regime, allowing criminals to operate with impunity.

"The law and order situation in Tamil Nadu has deteriorated significantly, with the police department being politicised and rendered dysfunctional, " Annamalai charged, demanding that the state government take immediate action to restore order and ensure justice for victims.