A delegation of the Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met Governor RN Ravi at the Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum about the targeted harassment of the party’s cadres and supporters by the DMK government through its law enforcement agencies.
The delegation included former Karnataka Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha MP Sadananda Gowda, BJP Andhra Pradesh President D. Purandeswari, BJP MPs Dr. Satyapal Singh and PC Mohan, BJP National Co-Incharge for Tamil Nadu Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, BJP Tamil Nadu Vice President Dolphin Sritharan and BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary Dr. SG Suryah.
BJP delegation led by Thiru D. V. Sadananda Gowda, MP, met and presented a memorandum to the Governor, highlighting atrocities and harassments being committed on their cadres by the law enforcement agencies in the State by foisting allegedly false charges. pic.twitter.com/9KvVxpg0iy
— RAJ BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@rajbhavan_tn) October 28, 2023
எதேச்சதிகார திமுக அரசினால் தொடர்ச்சியாக துன்புறுத்தப்பட்டு, சிறையிலடைக்கப்படும் தமிழக பாஜகவினரின் நிலையும், தமிழக அரசியல் களத்தில் ஆளுங்கட்சியின் அத்துமீறல்களையும் ஆய்வு செய்து, அதன் உண்மை நிலையை உலகத்தின் முன் வைப்பதற்காக மத்திய பாஜகவால் அமைக்கப்பட்ட நால்வர் குழு, முதற்கட்டமாக… pic.twitter.com/YkMEwvcPoy
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) October 28, 2023
BJP delegation led by Thiru.@DVSadanandGowda MP, Smt.@PurandeswariBJP President of @BJP4Andhra, Thiru.@dr_satyapal MP & Thiru.@PCMohanMP MP called on the Honourable Governor of Tamil Nadu Thiru.RN Ravi(@rajbhavan_tn) & presented a Memorandum highlighting the atrocities &… pic.twitter.com/kXP3RiC5Ru
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) October 28, 2023
The Tamil Nadu Police under the current dispensation has faced criticism for arresting and harassing people who post against the ruling DMK or its allies.
Very recently, BJP Tamil Nadu’s Sports and Skill Development Cell President Amar Prasad Reddy was arrested for allegedly damaging the JCB machine brought to bring down the BJP flagpole installed outside State President K. Annamalai’s house.
The Tamil Nadu Police went all the way to Noida-based media house looking for renowned journalist Abhijit Majumder who had written a column against Udhayanidhi Stalin’s “eradicate Sanatana Dharma” remarks. The police had turned up at his place without issuing any summons.
Here are some other recent instances where the Tamil Nadu police have been actively pursuing individuals critical of the ruling DMK:
- The Commune and its directors faced legal action for reporting on the confrontation between Podu Deekshitars of the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple and HR&CE officials.
- Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary SG Suryah was taken into custody under non-bailable sections for his comments regarding Madurai CPI-M MP Su Venkatesan concerning a sanitation worker’s tragic death during drain cleaning in Pennadam town, Cuddalore district.
- An AIADMK IT wing member was apprehended under non-bailable sections for sharing a video meme that humorously referenced MK Stalin’s video statement on Senthilbalaji’s arrest. The meme did not contain derogatory content.
- Saravanaprasad Balasubramanian, a pro-BJP Twitter user was arrested for sharing an old article and allegedly misattributing DMK to an illegal liquor-producing gang in Tiruppur, following the recent hooch tragedy in Marakkanam.
- Vice President of Tamil Nadu BJP’s Industrial Cell, Selva Kumar, was arrested for criticizing DMK Minister Senthilbalaji.
- The admin of Voice of Savukku Shankar X handle was arrested for a video meme targeting CM MK Stalin and DMK Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan regarding the “eligible household” clause in the monthly assistance scheme for women.
- The DMK government traveled to Gujarat to arrest BJP cadre John Ravi, who had made satirical social media posts about CM MK Stalin and his late father, Karunanidhi.
- A member of TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK was arrested for posting a meme mocking the Tamil Nadu sports ministry led by Udhayanidhi Stalin.
- Political commentator Kishore K Swamy was detained for posts critical of MK Stalin related to monsoon preparations. Previously, he had been subjected to the Goondas Act for criticizing DMK leaders Karunandhi, Stalin, and Annadurai.
- DMK critic YouTuber-turned-BJP cadre Karthik Gopinath was arrested for raising funds for temples in Siruvachur, Perambalur district, which had been vandalized by miscreants.
- BJP supporter and political analyst Krishna Kumar Murugan was arrested in connection with alleged ‘defamatory’ posters caricaturing MK Stalin.
- YouTuber Maridhas was taken into custody for a video discussing Tablighi Jamaat and a tweet related to the late Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat.
- Naam Tamilar functionary Ganesh Kumar alias Nila Kannan was apprehended for posting an image of the late DMK leader Karunanidhi being served food by three different women.
- Critic of the DMK, Badri Seshadri, was arrested for his comments in an interview on a YouTube channel regarding the Manipur issue, during which he made remarks about the Chief Justice of India.
These are just a few of many arrests made in the recent past. The delay in the judicial process compounds the ordeal, as legal proceedings have yet to provide full respite in many of the above cases.
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