The Opposition claimed that the meme was critical of the eligibility criteria of the M K Stalin-led government’s policy to give Rs 1,000 to women who are heads of families and labelled the police action a “suppression of voices” and a display of “dictatorial behaviour”. On Twitter, “#ArrestMeToo_Stalin” trended in protest.
A social media handle called “Voice of Savukku Shankar” imposed the names of Chief Minister M K Stalin and Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on the characters in a comedy scene from an old Tamil film to criticise the policy. The original comedy is considered offensive as it appears to belittle women for not being “young and glamourous”. The YouTube channel is run by activist A Shankar, popularly known as “Savukku” Shankar.
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Reacting to the arrest of Pradeep, who is the administration of the Twitter handle that posted the meme, state BJP president K Annamalai tweeted, “Democracy turns into autocracy when powers are concentrated within one family and becomes a state of dictatorship in no time. The @arivalayam (DMK) govt is rattled by the slightest criticism and has displayed its dictatorial behaviour by arresting a person for a social media post.”
“If posting a troll video deserves an arrest, the entire DMK IT wing should be behind bars as it is their full-time profession. Surprisingly, @tnpoliceoffl has arrested @voiceofsavukku at the behest of DMK despite knowing that the offence (if any) doesn’t deserve it. Curtailing freedom of expression, midnight arrests & self advertisem*nts with no achievements to back them are true traits of a fascist, Thiru @mkstalin,” he added.
If posting a Troll video deserves an arrest, the entire DMK IT wing should be behind bars as it is their full-time profession.
Surprisingly, @tnpoliceoffl has arrested @voiceofsavukku at the behest of DMK despite knowing that the offence (if any) doesn’t deserve it. (2/3)
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) March 22, 2023
BJP leader and National Commission for Women member Khushbu Sundar tweeted, “The spineless @arivalayam govt is indulging in outright suppression of people’s voices. Shocked to note that they can’t handle even memes. Conspicuous signs of a weak govt. If they are arresting bcoz allegedly someone had represented women badly, what about your own men who keep bad-mouthing women every day? Any plans to arrest them @mkstalin avl?” “Avl” is the shortened form of the Tamil word Avargal, which denotes respect.
The spineless @arivalayam govt is indulging in outright suppression of people’s voices. Shocked to note that they can’t handle even memes. Conspicuous signs of a weak govt. If they are arresting bcoz allegedly someone had represented woman badly, what about your own men who keep…
— KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) March 22, 2023
AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan retweeted the clip and used the hashtag #ArrestMeToo_Stalin.
#ArrestMeToo_stalin pic.twitter.com/PEYWqRYLFQ
— Kovai Sathyan (@KovaiSathyan) March 22, 2023
Shankar, who is a well-known critic of the DMK regime, condemned the arrest. He said, “In spite of a clear ruling of the Supreme Court that arrest should not be made in cases with less than 7 years imprisonment, Shajitha Addl SP Cyber Crime CCB effected this arrest. She and the entire city police act like a mercenary of DMK.”
Tagging Rajan in another tweet, Shankar said, “It is @ptrmadurai who has mounted pressure on @CMOTamilnadu and @chennaipolice_ to arrest @voiceofsavukku admin. He thinks no one should criticise his lacklustre budget. Shame on this govt.”
Pradheep, one of the admins of @voiceofsavukku has been arrested by @chennaipolice_ for tweeting this video. He has been picked by CCB police by 11.30 pm. In solidarity with him I am tweeting this same video. I dare you to arrest me @CMOTamilnadu @tnpoliceoffl The… pic.twitter.com/XSTYpOKVFd
— Savukku Shankar (@Veera284) March 22, 2023
On September 15, 2022, Shankar was sentenced to six-month imprisonment after the Madras High Court found him guilty of criminal contempt for his remarks about the higher judiciary. Shankar was earlier an employee at the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) and was suspended over 10 years ago after he was accused of releasing an audio tape of a DMK minister, which eventually led to the minister’s resignation.
Hitting out at Shankar, Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said, “I’ve ignored the paranoia of this fantasist, but this is 100% lunacy so I will react: a) I had no idea this handle existed, so have not seen the video, nor complained b) When ‘criticism’ of the State Budget by a suspended DVAC clerk starts to bother me … I’ll quit public life.”
— With inputs from PTI
