CM Vijay vs LoP Udhay to spark fireworks in Budget presentation on Aug 5

CHENNAI/TIRUCHY/MADURAI: Setting the stage for a fiery beginning for the Budget session of the Assembly on Wednesday, the police on Tuesday arrested opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin of the DMK on charges of making derogatory comment against actor Trisha Krishnan and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay during his speech at a protest over Cauvery water sharing in Thanjavur a day earlier.

Udhayanidhi was released on station bail later in the day, as directed by the Madras High Court based on Advocate General Vijay Narayan’s submission that the State government had no intention to seek his judicial remand.

The arrest, which came a day before the TVK-led government is presenting its maiden Budget, is sure to hit the session on Wednesday. A senior DMK functionary said they are still waiting for the leadership to prepare the plan of action for the Budget presentation, and the remaining part of the session.

“Our Assembly strategy will be finalised on Wednesday morning. But we will raise the issue of his arrest vigorously in the House," said the DMK leader.

Earlier in the day, based on a complaint lodged by S Bairavi, the TVK's Central District Women's Wing Organiser for the district, the Thanjavur East police registered a case under nine sections and landed at Udhayanidhi’s Neelankarai residence in the morning. There, they met with stiff resistance from DMK leaders and cadres, who argued with the police over the move. Finally, Udhayanidhi’s brother-in-law V Sabareesan and former minister Ma Subramanian intervened to calm the cadre, assuring that the party would pursue all legal avenues to resolve the issue.

From there, the police team proceeded to Thanjavur by road in a big convoy, which was met with scores of DMK functionaries, including former ministers and senior leaders, along the way.

Meanwhile, protests broke out across the State, with party members blocking traffic, burning effigies, and raising slogans against the government for arresting their leader. Many had to be arrested and removed. In response, TVK cadre staged counter protests in many places, leaving the police on tenterhooks.

Considering the situation, the police decided to take Udhayanidhi to Sengipatti police station instead of Thanjavur East station. There, Thanjavur SP E Sundaravathanam and DSP Alagesan conducted the inquiry with Udhayanidhi. After it was completed, he was freed on station bail, and was welcomed with loud cheers by party members.

Speaking to reporters in Tiruchy, Udhayanidhi maintained that his entire 25-minute speech at the protest in Thanjavur focused on farmers' issues, the Cauvery water dispute, and the State government's poor handling of agriculture. However, the government resorted to a "diversion tactic" by circulating edited videos and attributing statements that he never made, he alleged, adding that fake reels and manipulated clips were distributed widely, including to national media, to create a false narrative and pave the way for police action.

The Chief Minister was acting in a "cowardly" manner, Udhayanidhi alleged, drawing parallels between his own conduct after the arrest and that of Vijay, who, he said, avoided facing the media when 41 people died in the Karur stampede.

He maintained that the case was an attempt to divert attention from those issues and vowed to continue raising them both inside and outside the Assembly.