Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai has criticised the Delhi Police over its action against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members, calling it a "real
disservice". He defended the organisation's right to raise questions about electoral roll revisions and said the government should address its concerns. "Delhi Police is doing a real disservice," Annamalai, founder of the "We The Leaders" movement, told reporters on Tuesday. While saying that he did not agree with all of CJP's protest methods, Annamalai said he supported the questions raised by the organisation. He also criticised the arrests of its members, warning that putting its leaders behind bars could make them more popular. "I may not agree with their antics or mode of protest, but I completely support CJP in terms of the questions they want to raise. Arresting them and dragging them into jail will only make their leaders stronger," he said. Annamalai said the authorities should focus on answering the questions raised by CJP instead of taking action against its members. "I am a little bit concerned... I have a feeling that they (Delhi police) have taken the law into their hands and the judge gets recused. I completely support the CJP in terms of the questions they want to raise. It is for the government to answer," he said when asked about the issues raised by the organisation over electoral roll revisions and related matters. "Keeping leaders in prison can make them even more popular," he added. On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's stand on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Annamalai said he had the right to question the exercise but cautioned against causing damage to institutions. Annamalai said Rahul Gandhi "has every right to question the SIR (Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls) but institutional damage should not be caused."
