Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin has arrived at the residence of DMK President MK Stalin following his release from police questioning.

Following his release, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin hit back at the TVK government, alleging that his speech was manipulated through "cut, copy, and paste" tactics to create a diversion.

"I see this arrest as comedy. I am the grandson of Kalaignar, son of Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin.  I am not scared of arrest," he said.

He added, "I didn't speak badly about anyone. My speech was cut, copied, and pasted, given to national media, and made to share widely to divert from real issues."

DMK's Udhayanidhi Stalin leaves police station after questioning in connection with 'Trisha' remark, gets hero's welcome.

The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered the police to release Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin after questioning him in connection with a case registered over his alleged "double-meaning" remark alluding to popular actor Trisha.

The High Court directed the DMK leader to cooperate with the investigation as and when required.

Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin is expected to be questioned by the police until late evening/midnight (possibly till 11:59 PM) following his detention.

In accordance with the Madras High Court's directive ordering his release today itself on station bail, Udhayanidhi will return to Chennai either on the last flight tonight or the first flight tomorrow morning.

"Ever since coming to power, Chief Minister Vijay has done nothing but arrest those who criticise him, his ministers, or his government. Arrests follow tweets or video statements," former Karnataka chief minister MK Stalin said on son Udhayanidhi's arrest.

Here's the full statement:

"Arrogance paves the way for destruction," MK Stalin slams Vijay over son Udhayanidhi's arrest.

MDMK general secretary Vaiko, CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugam and BJP state vice-president Khushbu on Tuesday condemned Leader of Opposition and DMK Youth Wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin over his purportedly derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and actor Trisha, saying political leaders must maintain decorum and dignity in public life.

The criticism followed the circulation of videos from Udhayanidhi's speech at the DMK's Cauvery protest in Thanjavur. The remarks triggered a political backlash, with the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) women's wing lodging complaints with the Thanjavur East Police and the National Commission for Women.

Police subsequently registered a criminal case against the DMK leader.

In a post on X, Vaiko said the remarks attributed to the Leader of Opposition deserved strong condemnation. He said Udhayanidhi, who occupies the constitutional position of Leader of Opposition, should remember the Thirukkural's emphasis on restraint in speech rather than resorting to language that lowers the standards of political discourse.

CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugam also criticised Udhayanidhi, describing the language allegedly used at the public meeting as obscene and unacceptable.

Actor and BJP state vice-president Khushbu accused Udhayanidhi of insulting Trisha from a public platform. She questioned whether he would acknowledge his mistake and apologise to the actor.

(IANS)

The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed Udhayanidhi Stalin to cooperate with the ongoing police investigation and appear for questioning. The court also instructed authorities to release him after completing the inquiry. The order came amid political uproar over Udhayanidhi's detention in connection with his remarks on actor Trisha.

Police officials held talks with DMK top leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's family and senior party leader Ma Subramanian before arresting the leader of opposition on Tuesday, official sources said.

Even as a huge number of party workers gathered in front of Udhayanidhi's residence and raised slogans to condemn the police for acting against their leader, senior police officials held talks.

They spoke to Udhayanidhi's wife Kiruthika Stalin and Subramanian and explained the reasons for the arrest, and the DMK top leader's family sought some time for him to appear before officials for executing the arrest.

DMK workers argued with police officials about the necessity and the reason for the arrest, and chaotic scenes emerged outside the residence and barricades were pushed away by cadres.

After arriving at Udhayanidhi Stalin's Neelankarai home for making the arrest, police waited for about an hour, sources said.

(PTI)

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) workers, led by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, staged a protest in Theni on Tuesday condemning the arrest of Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin, over "derogatory" remarks against Chief Minister Vijay and actor Trisha.

The women's wing of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) lodged a complaint at the Thanjavur police station yesterday, alleging that Udhayanidhi made a double-entendre remark about actor Trisha Krishnan.

A case was registered against Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin under nine sections. These include seven sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), one under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, and one under the Information Technology Act.

The sections of BNS invoked by the police include, Section 196 - Promoting Enmity Between Groups, Section 192 - Provoking a Riot, Section 352 -Intentional Insult to Provoke Breach of Peace, Section 79 -Insulting the Modesty of a Woman, Section 296(b) -Obscene Words in Public Places, Section 61 - Criminal Conspiracy and Section 351(2) - Criminal Intimidation; Section 4 of TN Prohibition of Harassment of Woman (Amendment) Act, 2002 and Section 67 of The Information Technology Act, 2000.

(ANI)

DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Tuesday denied allegations that Udhayanidhi Stalin made personal remarks against Chief Minister Vijay and actor Trisha, asserting that the latter only listed out the failures of the government and did not even mention the name of the actress during the public meeting in Thanjavur.

Speaking to ANI, Elangovan alleged that the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) does not care about the people of Tamil Nadu, claiming the party was formed with the sole aim of attacking the DMK.

"I listened to his entire speech. Nothing was said as people are saying. He only listed out the CM's failures. Nothing was insulting in his speech. He did not even mention the name of the actress (Trisha). He was only attacking the govt. The problem with this govt is that they don't care about the people of Tamil Nadu. They are being used by someone to attack DMK. Their party started only to attack us," said TKS Elangovan.

(ANI)

"He is Vulgar-Nidhi, not Udhayanidhi," TVK on Tuesday stepped up its attack on Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin over his remarks on actor Trisha.

Reacting to the arrest of the DMK leader on Tuesday morning over his derogatory comments on Trisha, TVK leader Americai Narayanan called the DMK leader's speech "vulgar".

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko condemned Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition (LoP) Udhayanidhi Stalin's indirect remark on actor Trisha as "cheap and derogatory."

While addressing the gathering in Thanjavur over the Cauvery water dispute, Udhayanidhi Stalin was interrupted by sections of the crowd chanting "Trisha, Trisha." Pausing briefly, he allegedly remarked, "Whether the water reaches anywhere else or not, it should reach there," before clarifying that he was referring to the Cauvery water.

In a statement, Vaiko said, "The speech delivered by Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin at the DMK's protest in Thanjavur, in which he crossed the limits of political decorum and criticised Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, deserves strong condemnation."

Invoking Thiruvalluvar's classic literature, 'Thirukkural', Vaiko advised Udhayanidhi to "guard his tongue."

"As the Opposition Leader, Udhayanidhi Stalin should adhere to the wisdom of the Thirukkural: 'Whatever the circumstance, guard your tongue.' Instead, using cheap and derogatory language against the Chief Minister is unbecoming of the high office he holds," the MDMK leader stated.

(ANI)