CHENNAI: Several leaders, including political rivals of DMK, criticised the arrest of leader of opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday. Though they found Udhayanidhi’s remark objectionable, they said the arrest was unwarranted, especially when the state assembly session was set to begin.TVK leaders, however, flayed Udhayanidhi and defended the arrest.Former chief minister MK Stalin said the arrest was a sign of arrogance on the part of the TVK govt.“Arrogance leads to destruction and continued arrogance only hastens that destruction. The arrest of LoP was intended to divert attention from the govt’s failures on the Cauvery issue,” Stalin said in a statement.Soon after Udhayanidhi was arrested, Stalin held a meeting with party seniors at DMK headquarters in Chennai. Then, in a statement, he said Udhayanidhi had not made any offensive remark or referred to any individual in his speech.“Some leaders have criticised Udhayanidhi without verifying facts. This is a diversionary tactic,” the DMK president said.AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said Udhayanidhi had to watch his words, but the arrest ahead of the budget session was condemnable.“AIADMK has pointed out that Udhayanidhi should hold his tongue. But I strongly condemn the dummy horse govt which wants to paralyze the legislative assembly by attempting to conduct the budget session in the absence of the LoP,” Palaniswami said.
Leader react
DMDK general secretary Premallatha Vijayakant said the arrest amounted to a revival of the colonial-era “Gagging Act.”PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss held a similar view. The ruling party and the opposition should focus on constructive politics, he said. “The police action was unnecessary and politically motivated, especially after high court advised against immediate arrest,” Anbumani said.VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said VCK did not agree with the arrest of Udhayanidhi with a budget session ahead. “I don’t know why police acted hastily despite Madras high court asking them not to proceed with the arrest. The approach by police is not acceptable,” Thirumavalavan said.TVK ministers, Congress and MDMK, however, defended the govt. Vijay had taught a lesson to DMK by arresting Udhayanidhi, public works department minister Aadhav Arjuna said, while electricity minister R Nirmalkumar said Udhayanidhi had lost his right to enter the assembly.“Let DMK leaders play Udhayanidhi’s speech to their family members and see whether they accept such language,” the minister said.Industries minister S Keerthana said the speech was obscene and insulted the dignity of women.TNCC president B Manickam Tagore demanded Udhayanidhi withdraw his remarks and seek a public apology, while MDMK general secretary Vaiko said the remarks had weakened Tamil Nadu’s united stand on the Cauvery issue.
Cadres take to streets across state
The arrest of LoP Udhayanidhi Stalin triggered widespread protests by DMK partymen and supporters across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, resulting in road blockades, mass detentions and traffic disruptions.TVK functionaries, meanwhile, carried out demonstrations at several places, calling for action against him.In Chennai, hundreds of DMK workers gathered outside Udhayanidhi’s Neelankarai residence and tried to stop the police convoy from taking him. Protests spilled onto arterial roads such as Anna Salai and ECR, paralysing traffic for nearly two hours.Police foiled attempts to burn effigies of chief minister C Joseph Vijay in Kancheepuram and Gummidipoondi.Traffic was disrupted in Trichy and Pudukkottai, where more than 1,800 cadres, including former minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and local MLAs, were detained during road blockades.The arrest, Poyyamozhi said, was a political move to prevent Udhayanidhi from raising the Mekedatu issue in the assembly.In southern districts, senior leaders including former AIADMK chief minister O Panneerselvam and ex-ministers P Moorthy and I Periyasamy led demonstrations demanding the immediate withdrawal of charges. They were also detained.Functionaries and women’s wing leaders of TVK carried out demonstrations in Trichy, Pudukkottai, Madurai and Coimbatore against Udhayanidhi’s remarks and filed multiple police complaints.While TVK supporters distributed sweets following Udhayanidhi’s arrest, those of DMK celebrated and burst firecrackers in Thanjavur after his release in the evening.
Spreading fake news is TVK’s policy, says Udhaya
Udhayanidhi said he would legally face the case foisted against him by TVK govt to “intimidate” him.“I am not scared of such actions,” Udhayanidhi told reporters at Trichy airport.“The govt told high court that they are taking me into custody for an inquiry. But they have spent taxpayer’s money, engaged more than 3,000 police personnel and brought me from Chennai to Thanjavur like a terrorist. I will face the case legally,” Udhayanidhi said.Defending his controversial remarks, Udhayanidhi said his intention was not to demean anyone. “But some leaders, without listening to or understanding my full speech, have condemned me,” he said.He said the police case was part of TVK’s diversionary tactics. “Since my speech at the protest in Thanjavur was well received among farmers, the govt wanted to divert it by filing false charges,” he said.Alleging that chief minister C Joseph Vijay hurriedly left for Chennai after Karur stampede, without responding to media at Trichy airport, Udhayanidhi said he was not someone who “flees” like that.He thanked DMK cadres, party leaders and the legal wing for standing by him during the arrest attempt.Responding to a question on how he views 100 days of TVK govt, he said, “I don’t consider this as a govt, it’s a circus camp. People are watching the developments, they will deliver their verdict soon,” he said.
