In a shocking turn of events, journalist Abhijit Majumder, has found himself in the Tamil Nadu Police’s crosshairs. The police went all the way to Noida-based media house looking for Abhijit without issuing any summons.
In the early hours of 30 September 2023, Abhijit Majumder took to his social media handle, X, to share a troubling incident. He revealed, “Got a call from the media house I write and do TV for that 4 Tamil Nadu cops came looking for me for a piece I had written criticizing Udhayanidhi Stalin’s call to eradicate Sanatan Dharma. Apparently, an FIR has been filed. Then lawyers, cops. They say Modi is fascist.”
This incident stems from a piece Abhijit had written earlier in September 2023 for FirstPost, where he analysed the political ramifications of a controversial speech delivered by Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
What Did Udhayanidhi Stalin Say?
To provide context, in September 2023, Udhayanidhi Stalin addressed the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists’ Association’s conference titled “Eradicate Sanathana Dharma Conference.” During his speech, he made incendiary remarks, stating, “The title of this conference has been excellently coined. You’ve named it ‘Abolish Sanatanam Conference’ and not ‘Oppose Sanatanam Conference’, so my best wishes to that.” He compared Hinduism to mosquitoes and diseases like dengue, flu, malaria, and coronavirus, asserting that these aspects should not be opposed but entirely eradicated. Udhayanidhi Stalin further criticised the concept of Sanatan Dharma, describing it as being opposed to equality and social justice. He questioned the meaning of “Sanatanam” and labelled it as something that cannot be changed or questioned.
He said, “Mosquitoes, dengue, flu, malaria, corona – we should not oppose these things. They’ve to be eradicated completely. The same is the case with Santanam (Hinduism). Our first work should be to abolish/eradicate Sanatanam instead of opposing it. So, my appreciation to you all for giving an apt title to the meeting“. DMK Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said.
He also further went on to say, “What is Sanathanam? The name Sanatanam itself comes from Sanskrit. Sanathanam is opposed to equality and social justice. What is the meaning of Sanatanam? Eternal or something that can’t be changed. Something that can’t be questioned. That is the meaning of Sanatanam.”
Abhijit’s Article
In his article for FirstPost, Abhijit Majumder discussed how Udhayanidhi Stalin’s controversial speech may have inadvertently benefitted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu. This critical analysis appears to have drawn the ire of the Tamil Nadu government. The article was titled, “Udhayanidhi Stalin’s call for Hindu genocide does BJP a big favour in Tamil Nadu” and it appears that the word “genocide” is the problem here.
This incident underscores concerns about the state of freedom of expression in Tamil Nadu under the DMK regime. While freedom of speech is a fundamental right in the country, incidents like these raise questions about its practical application, particularly when critical viewpoints are targeted. In fact, there have been a spate of arrests in the last few weeks. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya was booked in a similar case for his tweet in which he had accused the DMK Minister of calling for genocide.
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.
- 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.
This is a developing story, and further details are awaited in the coming days.
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