Cases filed against 311 BJP workers for protesting against Nellai Kannan on Marina Beach

On Wednesday, Chennai police filed cases against 311 Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) workers including party's National General Secretary Hariharan Raja along with senior leaders like Pon Radhakrishnan, CP Radhakrishnan, L Ganesan amongst others. The BJP leaders were detained by the police yesterday after they had gathered in front of the Gandhi statue at Marina beach to protest against Tamil orator Nellai Kannan over his remarks against PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Nellai Kannan in a provocative speech at the SDPI, anti-CAA rally on Monday, had called people to "Finish PM and Shah."

Read: Tamil orator Nellai Kannan who said 'Finish PM,Shah' during anti-CAA SDPI protest arrested

Madras HC bans protests at Marina Beach

By gathering at Chennai's Marina beach, and sitting on Dharna, the BJP leaders violated the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 143, 145 and 341; laws which mainly pertain to unlawful assembly. The Madras High Court back in September had upheld the Tamil Nadu government's decision to prohibit any forms of protest at Chennai's Marina Beach to uphold "public order". This decision came after the jallikattu protests that took place in Tamil Nadu back in 2017.

The Chennai police, therefore, booked them under Section 143 (Punishment — Whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both), Section 145 (Joining or continuing in unlawful assembly, knowing it has been commanded to disperse) and Section 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint)

Read: BJP leader H Raja justifies police action on protesters resorting to violence

Read: AIMIM slams SDPI-PFI for alleged role in anti-CAA violence, backs UP police probe

Nellai Kannan arrested

Nellai Kannan who had earlier called to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in a provocative speech during the Social Democratic Party of India's anti-CAA meeting was arrested by Perambalur district police on Wednesday. The Tamil scholar while addressing the people in Tirunelveli district had allegedly said that Home Minister Amit Shah is the mind behind the PM and so should be finished after which BJP had registered a complaint against him. The SDPI and Popular Front of India (PFI) have come under the scanner of the police for their alleged role in instigating violence pertaining mainly to the violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Uttar Pradesh and Mangaluru. 

(With Agency Inputs)

Read: SHOCKING: Tamil scholar says "Finish PM, Shah" at anti-CAA protest organised by SDPI

Read: FIR lodged against Tamil Scholar over "Finish PM, Shah" remark at anti-CAA protest