Chennai, Tamil Nadu – In a controversial turn of events, SG Suryah, the state secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu, has been arrested by Madurai police for a tweet criticizing a CPI(M) Member of Parliament (MP), Su Venkatesan. The arrest has sparked criticism from the BJP, highlighting concerns of curtailed free speech and an alleged “anti-democratic trend” in the state.
The arrest took place on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, with SG Suryah being taken into custody by Madurai police. The tweet in question addressed a social issue and accused a Communist Party of India (Marxist) councillor named Viswanathan of being responsible for a sanitation worker’s death due to allergies after being compelled to clean a drain filled with feces. Suryah’s tweet specifically called out MP Su Venkatesan for remaining silent on the matter.
SG Suryah has been charged under sections 153(a), 505 (1)(b), 505 (1)(c) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66(d) of the Information Technology (IT) Act. He has been sent to 15-day judicial custody and is currently being taken before the magistrate for remand.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has refuted the claims made by Suryah in his tweet, stating that there is no Pennadam town panchayat in Madurai and no councillor named Viswanathan as alleged. The party has described the statement as completely fabricated.
Reacting to the arrest, K Annamalai, the state president of BJP, expressed his condemnation on Twitter. He criticized the arrest as an attempt to curtail free speech and accused the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party of displaying double standards. Annamalai further voiced concerns over what he perceives as signs of an autocratic leadership style, drawing parallels to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin.
The BJP leader’s tweet emphasized that these arrests will not deter the party from speaking out and sharing what they believe to be the uncomfortable truth.
SG Suryah’s arrest comes shortly after the Enforcement Directorate arrested state Minister V Senthil Balaji for his alleged involvement in a job racket scandal dating back to his tenure as the transport minister under the 2011-2016 AIADMK government.
The incident has raised debates surrounding freedom of speech and expression in Tamil Nadu, with the BJP and other critics questioning the motives behind the arrest and expressing concerns about the state’s democratic principles. As the case progresses, further developments and reactions are expected in this ongoing controversy.
Sources By Agencies
