Udhayanidhi Stalin Arrested After FIR Over Alleged Derogatory Remarks On Trisha; TVK Vs DMK Political Row Escalates

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition and DMK youth wing leader Udhayanidhi Stalin was on Tuesday morning arrested from his house in Neelangarai in Chennai following a complaint alleging he made misogynist remarks directed at a film actor who had paired opposite Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in a few films.

Hundreds of DMK cadres converged outside his house protesting against the police. As Udhayanidhi was taken away in a police van to Thanjavur, DMK cadres staged road blockades in different places. The police vehicle in which the DMK leader was being taken was briefly blocked on the East Coast Road and police had a tough time dispersing the crowd.

The arrest came a day before the Vijay Government was to table its first Budget in the Legislative Assembly.     

The Leader of Opposition had attracted criticism on Monday when he made certain remarks at a DMK demonstration in Thanjavur district on the Cauvery issue. Accusing the Chief Minister of handling the Cauvery issue incompetently, he had said Vijay was concerned only about foisting cases against the DMK while no water had arrived (from Karnataka for irrigation). At this point, some in the crowd chanted the name of the actor and Udhayanidhi made a double meaning remark about ‘water’ and added “I meant in the Cauvery”.

Ruling TVK functionaries took objection to his remarks. While a woman functionary filed a police complaint in Thanjavur, another office bearers sent a petition to the National Commission for Women seeking action against the DMK leader. Based on the complaint, the Thanjavur East Police had filed a case against Udhayanidhi under Sections 196, 192, 352, 79, 296(b), 61 & 351(2) BNS, 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Harassment of Women Act and 67 of the Information Techonology Act.

Senior DMK leader including former Ministers were heard arguing with the police at Udhayanidhi’s house on how he could be arrested when the Madras High Court was to hear his petition for anticipatory bail.

Shortly before his arrest, an urgent anticipatory bail petition was moved and Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan had accepted a request by Udhayanidhi’s senior Hasan Mohammed Jinnah for grant of lunch motion and directed the High Court Registry to list the advance bail petition for hearing in the afternoon session. When the counsel said the police must be directed to not precipitate the matter by arresting him before the anticipatory bail plea was decided upon, the judge orally directed the government counsel to issue suitable instructions to the police until the court could examine the issue.