BJP hits back at Annamalai over 'inconsistent' stance on student protests

The BJP on Wednesday accused K. Annamalai, a former Tamil Nadu party leader, of maintaining inconsistent positions regarding the government's handling of student-led protests and related law enforcement actions. Party officials alleged that Annamalai had applied differing standards when commenting on the state's response to recent demonstrations.

Annamalai's recent statements came as two Campus Janata Party (CJP) leaders, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were released following their arrest. The pair had spent seven days in police custody before being discharged on Wednesday, marking a conclusion to their detention.

The BJP's rebuttal underscores growing tensions within opposition circles over how to respond to student activism and government counter-measures. Annamalai's public criticism of official actions has drawn scrutiny from his former party, which questioned the coherence of his position on protest management and law enforcement.

The incident reflects broader political divisions in Tamil Nadu regarding student movements, with different factions taking divergent stances on both the merits of demonstrations and the appropriateness of state responses to such activities.