Scuffle breaks out between farmer leader P Ayyakannu, female BJP worker in TN temple

Thoothukudi: P Ayyakannu, who became the face of Tamil Nadu farmers protests in 2017, got involved in a scuffle with the Bharatiya Janata Party cadre at Thiruchendur in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.

As per news agency ANI, heated argument ensued between District Secretary of the BJP's women's wing Nellaiyammal and farmer leader P Ayyakannu outside premises of Sri Subramania Swamy Temple in Thiruchendur when the latter was allegedly distributing pamphlets criticising the Central government.

The scuffle ensued when the Nellaiyammal objected to Ayyakannu distributing pamphlets and waved her slippers at him, prompting the farmer leader to retaliate with verbal abuses.

Ayyakannu, along with a group of farmers, began a march from Kanyakumari last week, as part of his 100-day rally, during the course of which, the farmers distributed pamphlets, mentioning their demands which include waiver of crop loans, better price for agriculture produce and pension for elderly farmers. The pamphlets also mentioned a few points that severely criticised the Central government.

In a video, Ayyakannu and Nellaiyammal were seen trying to slap and beat each other when people came to ease the situation.

As the farmer’s group reached Tiruchendur temple area, Nellaiyammal (34) objected to the distribution of the pamphlets and allegedly showed her slippers to the farmers.

In the video, Ayyakannu along with his group can be seen approaching women devotees at the temple, asking them to take a copy of their pamphlet. As a woman devotee prepares to do so, another woman barges into the frame, accompanied by a man.

Nellaiyammal then seizes the pamphlet from the devotee’s hand and says, “Don’t take his (Ayyakannu) pamphlet. This Ayyakannu is a fraud.” She then turns to him and says such things cannot be given in the temple.

A furious Ayyakannu immediately uses a Tamil cuss word implying she is a slut. The woman retaliates and slaps Ayyakannu. Pandemonium ensues with the other men in Ayyakannu's group and the two BJP members shouting at each other. In the next few seconds, there is much commotion and the woman can be seen pushed at least twice. Temple authorities had to intervene, and speak to both groups, to resolve the scuffle.

According to reports, Nellaiyammal has given a complaint to the police against Ayyakannu for abusing and attacking her, but alleges that the police did not accept her complaint.

Ayakkannu told the media that he had not used the cuss word and it was someone else in his team.