CHENNAI: Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday (August 16) slammed the TVK government over the growing trend of arrests targeting political rivals, "peaceful" protesters, and youth activists.
Addressing a meeting of DMK's legal wing, he also termed the administration's actions "fascist" and accused authorities of detaining individuals over speech and social media posts.
"If you speak, there is an arrest. If you post on social media, there is an arrest. This government is functioning like a fascist regime because of its deep sense of insecurity. It is as if they wake up every morning with a schedule and a timetable of whom to arrest next," Udhayanidhi alleged.
On his recent arrest, he said, "When the police arrived at my doorstep at 8 am, I was reading the newspaper. I thought they were arresting me for calling out this incompetent government, but they had no real answers. Our legal team moved with lightning speed at the Madras High Court to ensure justice was served."
The former Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister was arrested on August 4 for his alleged "double-meaning" remark alluding to popular actor Trisha and insulting her modesty.
Alleging that the state government was intentionally targeting young activists and "Gen-Z youth," the DMK leader said, "This government is terrified of the Gen-Z youth who are speaking up for our ideology. They target them to create fear among their family members. Our legal wing must act as an unbreakable fortress to protect these young voices."
Outlining the roadmap for the party's legal wing, Udhayanidhi called on lawyers to expose "government irregularities", including "corruption" in the appointment of government pleaders and to systematically follow up on public grievances in court.
Stating that the party's legal wing has a rich history, the Opposition leader said, "Whether during the times of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi or party president (MK Stalin), whenever the movement faced crises, the legal team solved them."
"We must stay alert, work with absolute unity, and remain on the field until our party president is back in the Chief Minister's chair," he said.
Meanwhile, the DMK legal wing, in its resolution, strongly condemned the TVK government for arresting Udhayanidhi when he spoke in support of farmers in Thanjavur recently.
In another resolution, it condemned the state government for failing to take action against those spreading defamatory comments about the Leader of the Opposition on social media platforms.