Udhayanidhi arrested, released on bail as TN erupts in protest

TVK escalated its protest against Udhayanidhi’s alleged remark by filing complaints with the local police and the NCW

Widespread protests erupted across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday following the arrest of former deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for his alleged remarks alluding to popular actor Trisha and insulting her modesty, the police said. He was later released on bail.

“Did I mention anyone’s name except the CM’s? (at the protest held in Thanjavur). Then why do you think this is happening? Let the court decide,” Udhayanidhi told reporters before being escorted away by the police.

Reacting to the arrest, Udhayanidhi’s father and former chief minister MK Stalin said, “Arrogance leads to destruction; persistent arrogance only accelerates it,” while hitting back at Chief Minister C Joseph. Senior Stalin also said Vijay is inept and a dummy CM.

Chaotic scenes unfolded in the morning as DMK cadres gathered in large numbers outside Udhayanidhi’s Neelankarai residence here to oppose the police action, and the DMK swiftly moved the Madras High Court with a petition seeking anticipatory bail.

Senior DMK leaders, including PK Sekar Babu and KN Nehru, also arrived, and police explained the reasons for the arrest to Udhayanidhi’s wife Kiruthiga as well as opposition party office-bearers.

Udhayanidhi was arrested before the bail plea was taken up by the HC. The State Government submitted during the hearing that the Leader of the Opposition would be released after questioning by the Thanjavur police. He was arrested over his alleged remark at a protest meeting held in the Cauvery delta town on Monday.

He has been booked under various sections of law, including promoting enmity, provocation with intent to cause a riot, and criminal intimidation.

Provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act have also been invoked, sources added. DMK workers resorted to flash strikes and demonstrations across the State strongly condemning the arrest.

TVK escalated its protest against Udhayanidhi’s alleged offensive remark by filing complaints with the local police and the National Commission for Women. A police complaint was lodged at the Thanjavur East Police Station by S Bairavi, TVK’s Central District Women’s Wing organiser for Thanjavur.

The complaint alleged that when the crowd chanted “Trisha, Trisha” during the Leader of the Opposition’s speech on the Cauvery issue on August 3, he responded with an obscene, double-meaning remark.

The complainant accused him and DMK IT wing office-bearers of intentionally degrading women, causing “mental agony” to the actor and women in general, and deliberately circulating a 2-minute, 39-second video of the incident on the social media platform X to cause public unrest. Simultaneously, TVK national spokesperson Pazha Selvakumar lodged a formal complaint with the NCW in New Delhi.

The party urged the NCW to issue a notice seeking an explanation and demand an unconditional public apology from Udhayanidhi.