Chennai
A statement by Annamalai criticising the Central government has triggered unease within We The Leaders, the organisation he currently heads, according to people associated with the group.
Annamalai, who has exited the BJP, is running We The Leaders and has indicated that it could be converted into a political party after it reaches a membership target of 50 lakh, sources said.
The controversy follows his recent statement that was viewed by some members as indirectly extending support to a protest being held in Delhi by a group referred to in the report as the “Karappan Poochi party”. Members said the group’s rapid emergence, funding sources and the nature of its protests have raised questions among the public.
They also pointed to the state government’s refusal to permit the group’s protests in Tamil Nadu and said intelligence agencies are monitoring those linked to it. Against this backdrop, they said, Annamalai’s sharp criticism of the BJP-led Centre and his questions about protest permissions were unexpected and have created confusion within the organisation.
Members further alleged that while Annamalai has questioned the Centre on this issue, he has not spoken out against how the state government handled other protests by the public, government employees and nurses. They argued that criticising the BJP on matters linked to national security to project neutrality was not justified, and claimed the statement did not resemble his usual style.
