Today, a protest organized by Tamil Nadu’s BJP leaders at the Tasmac headquarters ended with the arrest of prominent leaders K. Annamalai and Tamilisai Soundararajan. The protest was a call for the closure of Tasmac outlets, which the BJP claims are fueling the state’s alcohol addiction crisis and harming the social fabric of Tamil Nadu.
Tasmac, the government-run liquor retailer in Tamil Nadu, has long been a point of contention, especially among opposition parties. The BJP, in particular, has accused the DMK government of turning the state into an alcohol-dependent economy. The protest was intended to draw attention to the growing problem of alcoholism and its devastating effects on public health, families, and communities.
As the protest escalated outside the Tasmac office, police arrived and detained Annamalai and Soundararajan, accusing them of inciting public disturbances. The arrests were quickly condemned by BJP workers, who claimed that the state government was trying to suppress political opposition and prevent open discourse on crucial social issues.
In the aftermath of the incident, Annamalai stated that the BJP would not relent in its campaign against Tasmac’s operations. He argued that the DMK’s dependence on liquor sales was unsustainable and that the government should focus on alternative revenue-generating measures that do not harm the well-being of its citizens. Tamilisai Soundararajan, in her statement, called on the government to enact policies that protect families from the negative impacts of alcohol, particularly in rural areas.