Police arrested 1,850 persons belonging to the BJP and various Hindu outfits today when they gathered at different places to pay homage to those killed in the serial bomb blasts on this day in 1998.

The activists of outfits like Hindu Makkal Katchi, Hindu Munnani, and Hanuman Sena, gathered at various places in the city to pay homage and to condemn the bomb blast that occurred during the visit of BJP leader LK Advani for election campaign, on February 14, 1998. 58 people had died in the blasts.

The BJP had also arranged a homage meeting in the evening at R.S. Puram, where the first blast had occurred. After lighting a lamp in front of the portrait of Bharat Mata, the Union Minister of State, Pon Radhakrishnan addressed the gathering. He said that such kinds of terrorist attacks should not happen again.

Later, while talking to the press persons, he said that a memorial must be constructed for the victims. Replying to a question whether this would be against the Muslim community, Radhakrishnan clarified that he was against terrorism, which has no religion, and not against Islam.

About the newly formed Congress-DMK alliance and DMDK’s likeliness to join them, he quipped, “I think you people will decide every thing.”

Over 1,000 persons who had gathered at the venue were arrested by the police.