A section of political party leaders condemned the arrest of Tamil orator ‘Nellai’ Kannan for allegedly making a hate speech against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday last.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.S. Alagiri questioned as to why the police had two different rules when it came to arresting those allegedly making inflammatory comments.
“Why has Seeman (Naam Tamilar Katchi founder) not been arrested so far for claiming that they only killed [former Prime Minister] Rajiv Gandhi? Despite a complaint given to the police, no action has been taken against him. If someone speaks against Mr. Modi or Mr. Amit Shah, they are immediately arrested. But when comments are being made against Rajiv Gandhi, there is no action,” Mr. Alagiri said referring to Mr. Kannan’s arrest on Wednesday night.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi president Thol. Thirumavalavan alleged that Mr. Kannan being targeted was due to his exposing the Sangh Parivar’s designs time and again. “What he said at the event was purely a joke. Everyone present there, including women, understood it as a joke only. There was no other ill intention behind it, and the Muslims who were part of the event also did not take it seriously,” he said.
Mr. Thirumavalavan said the BJP was not targeting Mr. Kannan for that specific comment, but for his speech in which he exposed the Sangh Parivar, and the anti-people activities of the BJP government. “Besides, the fact that he being a Hindu exposed them in front of Muslims is what is irritating them,” he charged and said it was clear that the AIADMK had become slaves of the BJP by arresting the orator late at night and demanded the cases be withdrawn against him immediately.
Manithaneya Makkal Katchi president M.H. Jawahirullah questioned the speed at which Mr. Kannan was arrested and asked why others who made inflammatory speeches are still roaming free.
“Why didn’t the police arrest Nainar Nagendran (BJP leader) when he called for lyricist Vairamuthu’s head? Why is he still roaming free? What about BJP national general secretary H. Raja who recently said if students throw stones from inside university campuses, bombs will be thrown from outside? He has abused everyone from Periyar to High Court judges, yet he has not been arrested,” Mr. Jawahirullah pointed out.
He also questioned why actor Y. Gee. Mahendran who claimed boys went to protests just to look at girls, or Dairy Development Minister Rajenthra Bhaalaji who said Congress MP Manickam Tagore should be shot and actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s tongue should be cut, have not been arrested. He demanded the immediate release of Mr. Kannan.
