Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 17 (ANI): The Tamil Nadu police on Monday detained Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tamilisai Soundararajan for protesting against the alleged Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) scam.

'They are arresting me from my residence. I won't go separately. I want everyone to come with me,' Soundararajan told reporters as she was detained by the police.

Heavy police deployment was seen outside her residence in Chennai.

Earlier in the day, Soundararajan said that everyone had the right to protest over any issue. Talking about the alleged TASMAC scam, she said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has revealed irregularities worth Rs 1,000 crore in TASMAC.

She said that the BJP had planned a peaceful protest regarding the issue.

'In a country, everyone has the right to protest against anything. The ED has revealed that there have been Rs 1,000 crore irregularities in TASMAC. And in this regard, we have announced a peaceful agitation. But they have surrounded us. We don't fear such a type of custody. We will fight for the people,' she said.

Earlier, BJP leader CR Kesavan on Saturday criticised the Chief Minister MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government's budget, calling it 'dismal, directionless' and insensitive to the people's needs. He alleged that the budget disregards the people's critical needs while burdening the state with a mounting debt of Rs 9.3 lakh crore, making Tamil Nadu the highest debtor in the country.

On Friday, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai launched a scathing attack against state minister V Senthil Balaji, labelling him as the 'kingpin' who remains involved in 'every single scam.'

Standing firm on his sources, Annamalai claimed that the TASMAC scam was over a thousand crore rupees while questioning the moral right of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Balaji to continue in his post as the minister.

'I have my sources. I believe (the corruption) is over a thousand crore (rupees). Senthil Balaji is involved in every single scam. He is the kingpin. Supreme Court has questioned if he has the moral right to stay a Minister,' Annamalai told reporters.

Labelling Balaji as the 'liquor minister', the BJP leader said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin restored Balaji as the minister as soon as he was released from jail. The TASMAC scam is bigger than the Delhi liquor scam, Annamalai asserted. (ANI)