Newly appointed BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai created a stir with his statement that he can bring the media under control within six months. During a road show from Coimbatore to Chennai before taking oath as party president, Annamalai was addressing party workers when he made statements against the media. He is expected to take oath on July 16 at the party headquarters in Chennai.
“Forget worries you have that the media is spreading lies about us. Within six months you will see that we can control the media and bring them under us,” Annamalai was heard saying in a video. “The previous BJP chief L Murugan is now the minister for Information and Broadcasting. All media will now come under him. So henceforth, false information cannot be spread as news for politics,” he added.
The former IPS officer is travelling via Trichy, Perambalur, Villupuram, Tindivanam, Madhuranthagam, Chengalpattu, Guduvancheri, Tambaram, Pallavaram, Alandur, Saidapet to reach Kamalayalam in Chennai for the oath taking. As a show of strength, Annamalai was expected to meet and interact with party workers and leaders before taking charge formally.
While Annamalai has maintained that all COVID-19 protocols are being followed, including social distancing, large crowds have greeted him in many places in clear violations of the COVID-19 guidelines of the state. The state has extended the lockdown till July 19 and has banned several activities including cultural and political events. Gathering hundreds of people to welcome Annamalai in many places is visibly a violation of this.
In August 2020, when Annamalai joined the BJP, the Coimbatore police had booked him and several BJP leaders under Epidemic Disease Act on charges of unlawful assembly for violating COVID-19 norms by gathering in large numbers.
Annamalai’s elevation from vice president of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit happened in less than a year after the previous BJP chief L Murugan was included in the Union Cabinet as a Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
ஊடகங்கள் விரைவில் பாஜகவிற்கு ஆதரவாக செயல்படும் என பாஜக மாநில தலைவர் @annamalai_k பேசியது ஊடகங்களை மிரட்டும் செயல். pic.twitter.com/sCNDfhhuFx
— Mano Thangaraj (@ManoMLA) July 15, 2021