Chennai: Former DMK minister Anita Radhakrishnan has been arrested by the police for allegedly making objectionable and indecent remarks against Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. This action came just after the Madras High Court rejected her anticipatory bail plea. Following her arrest, Radhakrishnan leveled serious allegations against the ruling party, saying that she was constantly being subjected to undue political pressure to leave the DMK, resign from the MLA post, and join the ruling party, for which she was even offered a huge sum of money. However, she rejected this offer and made it clear that she would always stand ideologically with the DMK.
Anita R. Radhakrishnan was detained by police while she was visiting the Aathur area within her constituency. State Energy Resources Minister Nirmal Kumar confirmed the legal action, stating that the former minister was booked for hate speech against Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and his family. During the arrest, Radhakrishnan’s supporters shouted slogans and protested against the police action while being taken to court. Meanwhile, the DMK’s top leadership, including party president M.K. Stalin, sharply questioned the timing of the swift arrest. Stalin, attacking the government, alleged that the ruling party was remaining silent on serious allegations, such as the gang rape of its own MLA, and was targeting opposition leaders.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu government minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar has launched a scathing attack on the former minister, completely rejecting his claims. He clarified that the Tamil Nadu Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has no place for people with tainted backgrounds like Radhakrishnan, and that the party was not exerting any pressure to include him. The minister sternly stated that even if Radhakrishnan were to fall at the feet of the Chief Minister to atone for his mistake, he would never be granted party membership. The government alleged that the DMK leader has been involved in anti-social activities in southern Tamil Nadu for the past two decades, including land grabbing, running illegal parallel courts (kangaroo courts), and disrupting law and order in the region.
This high-profile arrest has completely heated up the political dynamics in Tamil Nadu. While the opposition is calling it politically motivated and a repressive act to suppress voices, the ruling party is hailing it as an example of legality and administrative fairness. Radhakrishnan’s allegations of inducement and defection have further exacerbated the ideological and organizational conflict between the two major political parties, which is expected to have widespread repercussions on the state’s political landscape in the coming days.
