Pravin Raj, a Tamil Nadu BJP social media functionary has been arrested allegedly for posts targeting the DMK and the Congress.
According to a Dinamalar report, Pravin Raj was arrested by the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime police in Rasipuram, Namakkal district.
In an X post, Pravin Raj (X handle name – Sanghi Prince) described how the Tamil Nadu police knocked on his doors on the wee hours of 1 October 2023 to take him into custody.
“Some people knocked on the door at 2 AM and then tried to break the door. They claimed to be from cyber crime when asked. When locals asked for their identity cards and took photos of it, they were threatened saying that it is a crime.“, he said in his tweet adding that the local police had not accompanied them as per protocol.
அதிகாலை 2 மணிக்கு கதவை தட்டி, பிறகு கதவை உடைக்க முறப்படும் சிலர். கேட்டால் cyber crime.
ஆனால் தான் காமிக்கும் Id card ஐ உள்ளூர் மக்கள் ஃபோட்டோ எடுப்பது குற்றம் என சொல்லி மிரட்டல் .
Protocal படி Local போலீஸும் உடன் இல்லை.
வீழ்வேன் என நினைத்தாயோ ? @mkstalin pic.twitter.com/CdEqbhsUrU
— Sanghi Prince🚩 (@SanghiPrince) September 30, 2023
According to sources, Pravin Raj has been arrested for targeting the DMK and Congress over their inability to find a solution to the Cauvery water dispute that has surfaced again after 4-5 years.
However, Congress MP from Karur, Jothimani announced on social media that Pravin Raj was arrested for allegedly publishing an ‘obscene video of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi’, the video in question being an actual incident of Rahul Gandhi publicly kissing his sister Priyanka Gandhi in which the latter can be seen virtually at discomfort. According to the Congress MP, Pravin Raj was arrested based on a complaint given by Karur District Congress Committee.
கரூர் மாவட்ட காங்கிரஸ் கமிட்டி கொடுத்த புகாரில் , ராகுல்காந்தி,பிரியங்கா காந்தி அவர்களின் வீடியோவை எடிட் செய்து ஆபாசமாக வெளியிட்டு,அறுவெறுக்கத்தக்க வகையில் கருத்து தெரிவித்த பாஜகவின் ஐ டி விங் பொறுப்பாளர் கைது செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கிறார். . அரசியல் ரீதியாக ,கொள்கை ரீதியாக ஒருவரை…
— Jothimani (@jothims) October 1, 2023
Tamil Nadu BJP Industrial Cell Vice President Selva Kumar said that Pravin Raj was arrested for the video below.
காங்கிரஸ்-திமுக கூட்டணியை விமர்சனம் செய்யும் வகையில் @SanghiPrince பதிவு செய்த இந்த விடியோவிற்காக கைது செய்யபட்டுள்ளார்#WeSupportPravinRaj
— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) October 1, 2023
Apparently Pravin Raj was already under the radar due to his vocal opposition of the DMK on social media, according to sources.
Many BJP supporters and cadres have lashed out at the MK Stalin government saying that it is going after people who criticize the DMK on social media amidst rising incidents of crime in the state.
தமிழகம் எங்கும் கொலை , கொள்ளை , கடந்த இரண்டு வருடங்களாக அதிகரித்துள்ளது அதை தடுக்க துப்பில்லை ,
அரசை எதிர்த்து கேள்வி கேட்டதற்கு கைதா….?@SanghiPrince
அவர்களின் கைதை வன்மையாக கண்டிக்கிறேன்…! #WeSupportPravinRaj pic.twitter.com/pfZd2uLOdF— Kanna Pandiyan SKP (@KannaPandiyaSKP) October 1, 2023
வேங்கைவயல் குற்றவாளிய கைது பண்ணுனயா? இல்லை
பென்னாகரம் பள்ளி குடிநீர் தொட்டியில் மலம் கலந்தவன் என்னானான் ? தெரியாது
அப்ப என்ன தான்டா பண்ணுரீங்க சோசியல் மீடியா போஸ்டுக்கு நடுராத்திரி கதவ தட்டிட்டு இருக்கோம்🤦
யார்டா நீங்கலாம்😏#WeSupportPravinRaj pic.twitter.com/OdYw5xp6lB
— Bagavath Pratheep (@Bagavathprathee) October 1, 2023
Pravin Raj’s arrest comes just a day after Tamil Nadu police landed at the work place of Delhi-based journalist Abhijit Majumder for a piece that he wrote critical of Udhayanidhi Stalin over his “eradicate Sanatana Dharma” remarks.
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.”
What a day.
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 criticising Udhayanidhi Stalin’s call to eradicate Sanatan Dharma.
Apparently, FIR has been filed.
Then lawyers, cops.
They say Modi is fascist.— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) September 29, 2023
This is yet another incident that underscores concerns about the state of freedom of expression in Tamil Nadu under the DMK regime.
Ever since the DMK came to power, it has gone ruthlessly behind its critics filing cases and arresting them for social media posts and trolls.
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 Saravanaprasad Balasubramanian 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.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram and WhatsApp and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.