Police in Chennai detained 47 members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Vijayadashami after they conducted a Guru Puja and Shakha training session at the Ayyappanthangal Government Higher Secondary School without prior permission. The event coincided with the 100th centenary celebrations of the RSS. According to police, the gathering was held at the school ground without official clearance, prompting their intervention. The arrests sparked a political row, with BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu accusing the ruling DMK government of deliberately targeting nationalist and cultural activities while turning a blind eye to rising law-and-order issues.
Tamil Nadu BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan strongly condemned the detentions, calling them “undemocratic” and “highly condemnable.” She argued that the Shakha was being conducted at a venue where such events have been regularly organized for years without prior permission. Soundararajan accused Chief Minister MK Stalin’s government of adopting a double standard, claiming that while anti-social activities such as drug peddling and crimes against women go unchecked, patriotic and spiritual gatherings face restrictions. She also met the detained RSS workers in custody, offering moral support and demanding their immediate release.
Soundararajan further criticized the DMK government’s approach, alleging that it reflects an “anti-national mindset.” She emphasized that the gathering involved only 47 participants, describing it as a minimal and peaceful event. Highlighting broader concerns about law and order in the state, she questioned why permission is mandatory for traditional and cultural activities when other threats to public safety remain unaddressed. The incident has escalated tensions between the BJP and DMK, with the BJP framing the detentions as an attack on freedom of expression and cultural traditions in Tamil Nadu.
