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Opposition condemns Udhayanidhi's arrest ahead of Aug 5 TN assembly session
Opposition condemns Udhayanidhi's arrest ahead of Aug 5 TN assembly session
Chennai, Leaders of political parties in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday condemned as "political vendetta", the arrest of former Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin in connection with a case pertaining to his alleged remark insulting the modesty of a woman.
In a post on 'X' after Udhayanidhi was escorted by the police to Thanjavur, where a case against him was registered, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami criticised the "lame horse government" for timing this arrest just a day before the budget session.
He argued that conducting the assembly in the complete absence of the Leader of the Opposition is "highly condemnable" and raises widespread suspicions of a deeper political motive beyond the registered case.
The AIADMK leader simultaneously criticised Udhayanidhi's personal conduct.
Palaniswami stated that his party has long believed Udhayanidhi "needs a muzzle", condemning his habit of speaking out of turn and making degrading remarks about women without understanding the dignity of his position.
"Registering a case for his speech is one thing. But striving to arrest the LoP today raises suspicions," Palaniswami remarked.
Condemning the police action, DMDK chief Premalatha Vijayakanth stated, "This act of stifling the opposition is condemnable."
Drawing a parallel to colonial times, she remarked, "There was a muzzle law during the British era; similarly, this action of stifling opposition parties is condemnable."
She emphasised that answering political arguments with counter-arguments maintains the dignity of democracy, adding that an arrest action should not be considered a solution.
Adding to the chorus of criticism, Deputy General Secretary of the AIADMK, K P Munusamy, accused the state's leadership of "political vendetta".
He said the Chief Minister was "misusing power to the extent of arresting the opposition leader."
DMK leader Thangam Thenarasu echoed these sentiments, terming the arrest a "direct attack on democratic rights."
VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan termed Udhayanidhi's comment "unacceptable" in civilised politics and urged him to abandon "thoughtless rhetoric" catered to crowds, noting the incident has drawn national condemnation.
However, he also asked the state government to avoid arresting Udhayanidhi ahead of August 5 Assembly session. Such restraint, Thirumavalavan stated, would boost the ruling party's goodwill and foster unity among all parties to collectively demand Tamil Nadu's Cauvery water rights from the Union government.
Taking to X, DMK MP Kanimozhi said the government is "resorting to oppressive tactics that are against the law".
"Arresting the Leader of Opposition in this way, solely to prevent him from participating in the Assembly session starting tomorrow, is blatant cowardice," she wrote on her official X account.
DMK leaders Anbil Mahesh, Thangam Thennarasu, Ma Subramanian and K N Nehru also condemned the police action.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
