- Udhayanidhi Stalin arrested over derogatory remarks against actor Trisha in Tamil Nadu
- Charges include promoting enmity, provoking riot, insult, harassment, and obscene acts
- Stalin termed his arrest a joke and vowed to fight the case legally
Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin has been arrested from his home in Tamil Nadu over derogatory remarks against actor Trisha. The arrest follows widespread controversy over an innuendo made by Stalin Junior during a political rally on Monday.
Follow LIVE Updates On Udhayanidhi Stalin's Arrest
NDTV has accessed the charges levied on Stalin Junior under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The charges include:
- Section 196: Promoting enmity, hatred
- Section 192: Provoking riot
- Section 352: Intentional insult
- Section 79: Acts, words or gestures intended to insult the modesty of a woman
- Section 296 (b): Obscene acts and songs in public
- Section 61: Criminal conspiracy
- Section 351 (2): Criminal intimidation
Udhayanidhi Stalin has also been charged under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women (TNPHW) Act that deals with the harassment of women in public or private places and Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act that penalises publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
What Udhayanidhi Stalin Said On His Arrest
Stalin Junior was seen smiling as he was escorted by cops. He said that he saw the arrest as a "joke" and he would "fight it legally".
The DMK slammed the arrest calling it political vendetta. "Nothing was said against anyone. Udayanidhi listed out Vijay's failures. There was nothing insulting in speech. He didn't even name Trisha," DMK leader TKS Elangovan said.
What's The Controversy
Udhayanidhi Stalin was delivering a speech on the Cauvery issue in Thanjavur, in which he was trying to corner Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. Taking a swipe at TVK Chief Vijay, Stalin alleged Tamil Nadu had not received a single drop of Cauvery water while the Chief Minister remained unconcerned.
Stalin was interrupted by a "Trisha-Trisha" chant from the audience.
He paused, smirked and made an innuendo, which was seen as a reference to Trisha, who is a co-star and close friend of Vijay. The comment sparked severe political backlash.
Slamming the comment, TVK on Tuesday wrote to the National Commission for Women demanding action against the DMK leader. The party had also filed a police complaint against Stalin.
