Jallikattu violence in TN: Swamy blames ISI; demands President's rule

The BJP leader said the violence in the southern state in triggered by ISI

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy on Monday demanded President's rule in Tamil Nadu to redeem the state from the "Naxals, Jehadis and Porkis", after the protests over Jallikattu at Marina Beach in Chennai turned violent.

"President's Rule necessary. CRPF, BSF and Army must be mobilised for a strike. It is now or never to recover Tamil Nadu from Naxals & Jehadis & Porkis," Sawmy wrote on microblogging website Twitter.

In this tweet, he contradicted his earlier position where he asked for Sasikala Natarajan to be made the chief minister of the state in place of incumbent O. Panneerselvam.

"Sasikala should take over. NRH Natarajan be kept far away from power. Panneer (O. Panneerselvam) is a good man but the road to hell is paved with good intentions," Swamy, a Tamil himself, had tweeted earlier.

Later, speaking with India Today, Swamy said that the sudden violence in Chennai was actually triggered by Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.

"Genuine agitators have dispersed. The main organiser said he is leaving Marina. Today there are people with Prabhakaran's and Hafiz Sayeed's posters. This is now an ISI-financed agitation," Swamy said.

Earlier in the day, the peaceful protest at Marina Beach turned violent as large posse of police personnel swooped on the huge crowd which had massed at the sprawling beach since January 17 and began to drag away the young protesters.

The state government on Sunday had organised Jallikattu at several places, but the protesters asked for a "permanent solution".

A group torched several vehicles parked at the Ice House police station.

At most protest venues across Tamil Nadu, slogans were raised against both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Panneerselvam, and there were random calls too demanding an independent Tamil state.