A video showing an elderly woman expressing her anger at the ruling DMK government by hurling slippers and dirt at a poster of DMK Chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has recently gone viral on social media. In connection with the video, the Tamil Nadu police arrested a 24-year-old man named Pratheesh from Kanyakumari for sharing the clip online. Reports suggest that the police are also searching for the woman seen in the video.
According to Dinamalar, the incident occurred near Bharani Mahal in Virugambakkam, where a poster of MK Stalin was affixed to a metro pillar. The woman allegedly carried out the act after visiting a nearby tea shop.
Following the video’s widespread circulation, Virugambakkam DMK MLA Prabhakara Raja filed complaints at two police stations, as the incident took place near the border of Virugambakkam and K.K. Nagar police station limits.
Pratheesh, who works at a private firm in Chennai, was arrested in Kanyakumari and is being transported back to Chennai for further investigation.
Reacting to the incident, BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai slammed Chief Minister MK Stalin, accusing him of allowing criminals to roam free while targeting those who criticize the DMK government on social media. The arrest has sparked a debate on free speech and the handling of dissent in Tamil Nadu.
“This incident shows the uncontrollable anger of the public towards Chief Minister Stalin, who is running a corrupt regime that is unsafe for women, children, and the elderly. By all accounts, the Chief Minister should have introspected his government. But instead, they have arrested Pratheesh, a youth from Kanyakumari district who posted the video on his social media, and are looking to arrest the old woman as well.“, Annamalai said.
“While rapists roam freely outside under your rule, don’t you have shame to go after those who criticize on social media?”, Annamalai slammed MK Stalin.
The BJP leader has urged the DMK government to release Pratheesh immediately and also drop the case against the old lady who vented her angst against MK Stalin.
சென்னை விருகம்பாக்கம் பகுதியில் உள்ள மெட்ரோ ரயில் தூணில் ஒட்டப்பட்டிருந்த, முதலமைச்சர் திரு @mkstalin படம் இருந்த சுவரொட்டி மீது, வயதான தாயார் ஒருவர், தனது கோபத்தை வெளிக்காட்டும் விதமாக, செருப்பை எறிந்து, மண் வாரித் தூற்றிய காணொளி, சமூக வலைத்தளங்களில் பரவியது.
பெண்கள்,…
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 28, 2024
AIADMK’s Kovai Sathyan too slammed the DMK government asking if shooting video is a crime in Stalin-ruled Tamil Nadu.
ஸ்டாலின் போஸ்டரை செருப்பால் அடித்த பெண்மணியை கண்டுபிடிக்க முடியாமல் இதை வீடியோ எடுத்த பிரதீஷ் எனும் சிறுவனை கைது செய்த கையாலாகாத திமுக.
Not able to find the women who slippered, police have arrested a young boy prateesh who shot this video.
Is video shoot a crime in TN? pic.twitter.com/CvvfOzOOTc— Kovai Sathyan (@KovaiSathyan) December 28, 2024
The DMK government has been using Tamil Nadu police to target and harass common people who criticize the party on social media or in public. Here are a few instances.
- 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.
- BJP IT Wing and Social Media State Secretary Trichy Pugal Machendran was arrested for an alleged provocative Facebook post celebrating the death of the terrorist Palani Baba on his death anniversary. The post referred to Palani Baba as a “poisonous influence.”
- TN BJP Functionary Pravin Raj was arrested in the wee hours of 1 October 2023 for his posts targeting the ruling party and the Congress.
- The Tamil Nadu police even went up to Noida to try to arrest journalist Abhijit Majumder for his article on Udhayanidhi Stalin’s eradicate Sanathana Dharma remarks.
- A 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- N Muthuramalingam, the State Propaganda Secretary of South India Forward Bloc, was arrested for expressing his views on Facebook regarding the release of terrorists convicted in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts case. Muthuramalingam had criticized Dravidian parties for considering the release of 36 prisoners, including those convicted for life in the Coimbatore terror attack, leading to his arrest.
- In March 2024, Minjur Saleem, a pro-BJP activist found himself detained and later arrested for his dissenting views regarding the DMK Party’s governance, which he expressed on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
- In September 2024, Tamil director Mohan G was arrested for allegedly making false claims about contraceptives in Palani temple prasadam, linking it to adulteration controversies.
- In September 2024, motivational speaker and self-styled spiritual guru Mahavishnu was detained by police in Chennai after he spoke about Hindu concepts of karma at a government school.
- In November 2024, a BJP supporter Johny Raja was arrested by Vellore Police for posting against the DMK.
- In November 2024, actress and political commentator Kasthuri was arrested over alleged remarks against Telugu community.
- In November 2024, IMK chief Arjun Sampath’s son Omkar Balaji was arrested for alleged remarks against Nakheeran Gopal.
- In December 2024, a Naam Tamilar Katchi functionary named Simon was arrested for speaking against illegal liquor sales and sand mining.
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