Following the unhinged attack of former Chief minister and DMK chief MK Stalin by TN CM Joseph Vijay, a video was released by the leader to clarify the ‘truth’ about MISA.
However, in a video where he was seen interacting with former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan released just before the 2026 Assembly polls, Stalin’s account or rather memory of the actions leading to his arrest are different.
Here’s what he said in both the instances.
Nambi Narayanan Interview
Recalling his arrest under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), Stalin said the Emergency was declared in 1975 and that he was arrested on January 31, 1976, shortly after the DMK government was dismissed.
According to Stalin, the police went to his father and then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s residence on the day the government was dissolved and told him that they had come to arrest his son.
“The police came to leader Karunanidhi’s house the same day the government was dissolved. They told him they were not there to arrest him but his son. My father informed them that I had gone to stage a play and would return only the next night. He said he would call them once I arrived so they could arrest me,” Stalin recalled.
Stalin said that when he returned home, Karunanidhi informed him about the police visit and asked him to prepare for his arrest.
“When I returned home, my father informed me about it. He then called the Commissioner and told me to get ready for arrest. I took a bath and prepared myself. That was my first experience of going to prison,” he said.
He also claimed that he was taken to prison after dark despite rules prohibiting the admission of prisoners at night.
“The prison felt like a crematorium. There was a terrifying noise from the inmates.”
However, Stalin gave a different account while responding to TVK leader Vijay.
In that version, Stalin said the DMK government was dismissed on January 30, 1976, following a massive rally organised by Karunanidhi at Marina Beach against the Emergency and the MISA Act.
“Brother Vijay, what you said is true; there is no falsehood in it. During the Emergency, our leader Kalaignar convened a massive rally at Marina Beach to vehemently oppose it and criticize the MISA Act; consequently, the then-Union Government dismissed the DMK administration on January 30, 1976. Immediately after the dismissal, the police arrived at our Gopalapuram residence to arrest me under MISA. I was not home at the time, I was away campaigning. Kalaignar told the police, “He will return tomorrow. Once he is back, I will call you myself; you can come and arrest him then.” When I returned the next day, he summoned the police and had me arrested. I endured terrible atrocities in prison. We were confined in a ward meant for leprosy patients. Ten of us were crammed into a small room.”
Pakkave romba pavama iruku, oru chinna poi kuda korvaiya solla theriyala uncle ku
1st video i went to police station during night
2nd video I went to station during day
1st video, I was doing drama
2nd video I was doing campaign 🤦🏻♂️
How many lies unc
pic.twitter.com/LNdrxlkQKl— SureshSamy2.0 (@sureshsamyTVK) September 10, 2026
The two accounts differ first over the circumstances surrounding his absence from home. While Stalin told Nambi Narayanan that he had gone to stage a play, he later said that he was away campaigning when the police arrived.
There is also a difference in the date associated with the dismissal of the DMK government. In his account to Nambi Narayanan, Stalin said he was arrested on 31 January 1976, after the government was dismissed. In his later statement, he specifically said the DMK government was dismissed on 30 January 1976, and that the police came to arrest him immediately afterwards.
His descriptions of prison also vary in detail. In one account, he says he was arrested at night while in the other, he says he was arrested during the day.
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