Mon Mar 17 07:02:59 UTC 2025: **Chennai Police Clash with BJP Leaders During Protest Over Liquor Scam**
CHENNAI, INDIA – Tensions escalated between the ruling DMK party and the opposition BJP in Tamil Nadu today as Chennai police clashed with BJP protesters demonstrating against an alleged liquor scam. Senior BJP leaders, including state president K Annamalai and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan, were detained by police while attempting to lead a demonstration to the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) headquarters.
Police stated that no permission had been granted for the protest, while the BJP claimed its leaders were arrested preemptively. Soundarajan reported being arrested from her home, stating she refused to leave without her party workers. Annamalai accused the DMK government of acting out of fear.
The protest follows recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on state distilleries, alleging a potential Rs 1,000 crore fraud involving inflated expenses and fabricated purchases to siphon off funds. The ED’s investigation reportedly uncovered incriminating data related to bar license tenders. While the ED has not released details of its FIRs, Excise Minister Senthil Balaji denied the allegations, attributing the raids to political motivations stemming from the ongoing conflict between the DMK and BJP over Hindi imposition and delimitation. He further stated that the alleged irregularities involved bottling firms, not the Tamil Nadu government.
However, AIADMK leader Edappadi Palaniswami has also condemned the DMK government, claiming the scam could be far larger, potentially reaching Rs 40,000 crore. The clash marks the latest escalation in the already strained relationship between the DMK and BJP in Tamil Nadu, adding another layer to the existing tensions surrounding the Hindi imposition debate.
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