Protesters in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district stopped state BJP president K Annamalai from garlanding an idol of Mary at the famed Our Lady of Lourdes shrine to show their solidarity with Christians killed in the deadly ethnic conflict in Manipur. Questioning the BJP-led Union government’s handling of the conflict, protesters told Annamalai on Tuesday, January 9 that the shrine was holy ground and that Christians like them were being killed in Manipur. They also raised slogans of “BJP get out”.

After a heated exchange of words, police forced the protesters to leave and Annamalai proceeded with the garlanding. The incident took place in Pappireddipatti village in Dharmapuri in the midst of Annamalai’s ongoing En Mann, En Makkal yatra. The hilltop shrine is a part of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and considered hugely significant to Christians in the area. 

In video footage of the incident, one protester can be heard saying, “I am telling you with folded hands, you cannot garland this idol. This is holy ground.” Another protester added, “Christians like us were killed in Manipur, you cannot lay your garland here. They killed our people, they destroyed our churches. This is holy ground.” Several protesters could also be repeatedly heard saying, “Why did you kill our Christian people?” Annamalai responded to them with, “It is not an issue about Christians in Manipur. It is between two tribal communities. One community is against the other getting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The high court says that they can be given ST status. Both communities have Hindus and Christians. You must understand who is doing politics with religion." 

However, it must be noted that hundreds of churches were attacked in the violence in Manipur, with the Archbishop of Imphal Domnic Lumon alleging in June last year that 249 churches had been destroyed in a span of 36 hours. 

When the protesters continued to argue with Annamalai, he said, “Do not speak like a DMK person.” His comment led to an uproar among the protesters, many of whom replied that they were not even part of the DMK. At this point, the BJP leader appeared to lose his temper and said, “Everyone has the right to come here. What right do you have to stop me? Is the church in your name? If I bring 10,000 people here for a dharna, what will you do?” 

Despite the protests, Annamalai went on to garland the idol of Mary while many raised slogans against him and the BJP.