At the 51st State Shooting Games, Suryaa Raaja Baalu, son of Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Raja, refused to let BJP leader K Annamalai place a medal around his neck, instead taking it in his hand.
Annamalai, who was the event's chief guest, had been following the customary practice of garlanding successful competitors during the ceremony. However, Suryaa rejected this protocol, making it a political statement.
This episode follows a similar rejection that occurred in Tamil Nadu just a fortnight earlier. During Manonmaniam Sundaranar University's 32nd graduation ceremony in Tirunelveli, PhD recipient Jean Joseph bypassed Governor RN Ravi on the platform and collected her qualification directly from the Vice Chancellor.
Joseph, married to DMK Nagercoil Deputy Secretary M Rajan, subsequently stated her action was a demonstration against the Governor's perceived "hostility towards the Tamil language and Tamil Nadu." She remarked, "Given my support for Dravidian principles and the Vice Chancellor's significant contributions to Tamil culture, I felt it appropriate to receive my degree from him."
Annamalai had previously criticised that demonstration as a "shameful spectacle orchestrated by DMK supporters seeking publicity" and cautioned against "introducing petty politics into educational institutions."
