BJP functionaries were seen pushing away an auto-rickshaw driver when he tried to raise the issue of the rising fuel prices with party State president Tamilisai Soundararajan here on Sunday night.
She was about to begin an interaction with reporters after attending a theru koothu organised by the Hindu Munnani at Saidapet to mark Vinayaka Chaturthi, when P. Kathir, 49, a resident of the locality, approached her.
“Amma, one second. Petrol prices are going up daily....” he began, before being pushed away by BJP supporters and removed from the view of the cameras. Dr. Soundararajan did not react to the commotion that took place behind her, and continued her interaction with a smile. She was unavailable for comment on Monday.
‘He was drunk’
The incident took place at 10.30 p.m. “The auto-rickshaw driver was drunk. So, the Chennai city co-incharge of the party, Kalidas, pushed him away and informed the police, who sent the man home,” BJP’s Tamil Nadu media cell president A.N.S. Prasad claimed.
Mr. Kathir told The Hindu that he did not intend to file a police complaint. “So what if I was drunk? I raised a legitimate issue. I did not ask them to buy me a quarter [bottle of liquor],” he said.
He said he was paying ₹150 as rent to the owner of the vehicle and that his earnings had dropped in the wake of the rising cost of fuel. “I wanted to raise an issue that affects the general public, especially auto-rickshaw drivers. Price rise is affecting us all. I am not able to achieve my [usual] profit of ₹300 per day anymore,” he said, adding that he did not feel he was assaulted by the BJP cadre.