Nirmal Kumar Asks Detention Order Copy for Stalin’s Arrest Under MISA

Chennai: The reportedly obscene comments of DMK leaders especially that of former Union Minister A. Raja and state minister P.K. Sekar Babu on Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar drew strong attacks from the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) ministers, TNCC president B. Manickam Tagore, CPI-M State secretary P. Shanmugam.

Following strong criticism for the remarks that indirectly question the chastity of the minister's mother and personal attacks on Vijay, Raja posted an apology but Sekar Babu remained silent for the comments made at the protest demonstrations against Joseph Vijay’s remarks on MISA in the Assembly and the subsequent charges of Nirmal Kumar and MDMK MP Durai Vaiko that DMK leader M.K. Stalin was not arrested under MISA.

Nirmal Kumar in a social media post asked Stalin if obscene speeches on public platforms was the DMK’s last weapon for questioning last imprisonment. Responding to Stalin’s video claiming that he was arrested under MISA and assaulted by the police, the Law minister asked the former Chief Minister to show the detention copy or any other police records confirming Stalin’s arrest under MISA.

Whenever the DMK’s lies are exposed, the party’s last resort is vulgar speech, he said. The speeches of the DMK leaders could not be spoken to the women and children in their families, he said, warning that people are watching the DMK’s actions.

Nirmal Kumar is under attack since he said Stalin had gone to prison during MISA times for some other case not connected to politics. MDMK MP Durai Vaiko also said Stalin went to prison during the MISA period for some other case unrelated to politics. Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments minister S. Ramesh said the TVK would not stoop to the levels of DMK to make similar attacks.

Other than the claims of Stalin and the interviews of Marxist leaders like Thiagarajan alias Thiagu, the DMK leaders are relying on a book claimed to be the excerpts of a diary maintained by former DMK MP C. Chittibabu who was arrested under MISA and died in prison. Thiagu who was in the Tiruchi prison, in his interviews to television channels only says that former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi told him that Stalin went to prison under MISA.

However, DMK’s critics in the television and social media are alleging that former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and his followers are claiming that Stalin went to prison under MISA and underwent torture to justify Stalin’s elevation to the party leader’s post despite many leaders including Vaiko spending several years in prison under MISA, POTA and NSA for taking part in agitations on many issues. The DMK leaders are furious since questioning Stalin’s MISA detention shakes the foundations of his elevation by his father, they allege.

DMK’s opponents are also questioning how Chittibabu was allowed to maintain a diary inside the prison. Even by the DMK’s claims, the former MP blocked the heavy lathi blows and the kicks rained by policemen on Stalin and became sick as he was severely injured as his kidneys were damaged, the critics said and asked how he managed to write a diary while he was dying in prison. Chittibabu and a party functionary Sathur Balakrishnan were MISA detainees who died in prison.

Questions are also raised why the death anniversary of Chittibabu is not observed despite the former MP giving his life for Stalin who is celebrated as a MISA martyr. Besides, queries over the reasons for the DMK forming an alliance with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s party in 1980 when the DMK leaders like Stalin underwent torture under her government are also being raised. They recall DMK’s harsh criticism against MDMK leader Vaiko who formed an alliance with the AIADMK in 2006 despite his arrest by former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa under POTA four years earlier.