Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai shocked onlookers Friday morning by whipping himself six times as part of a dramatic protest.
In a video shared by news agency ANI, Annamalai, shirtless and dressed in a green lungi, is seen wielding a large whip. Amid cheers and slogans from supporters, he lashes himself six times before a seventh attempt is interrupted by a supporter who dodges the whip and embraces him.
The act marked the beginning of a 48-day protest campaign by the BJP leader, which includes a vow to fast and remain barefoot, aimed at unseating the ruling DMK in the 2026 Assembly elections.
“Anyone familiar with Tamil culture will understand this,” Annamalai told reporters afterward. “Flogging ourselves, punishing ourselves… it’s a part of our tradition.”
“This protest is not directed at any individual or specific event but against the ongoing injustices in the state,” Mr. Annamalai told reporters. “What happened at Anna University is just the tipping point. Over the last three years, we’ve seen continuous injustices against common people, women, children, and rampant corruption.”
He added, “Yesterday, I announced that we have decided to follow this path—a path that many of my forefathers walked—flogging and whipping ourselves as a symbol of protest.”
Mr. Annamalai’s protests were sparked by the horrific sexual assault of a student at Chennai’s Anna University earlier this week and the assault on her male friend. A 37-year-old roadside food stall owner has been arrested in connection with the incident. Police reported on Wednesday that the accused has confessed to the crime.
The assault has triggered a predictable political clash between Chief Minister MK Stalin’s DMK and the opposition BJP and AIADMK. The BJP and AIADMK, allies until their split last September following Mr. Annamalai’s criticism of AIADMK icons, have since been at odds.
On Wednesday, Mr. Annamalai launched a scathing attack on the DMK government, accusing it of turning the state into a “breeding ground for unlawful activities” and a “haven for criminals.”
