Chennnai: An MDMK functionary, Sathiyaraj Balu, was arrested on Monday for uploading an allegedly defamatory post on Facebook on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Balu, who was arrested in Nagapattinam district, has been booked under IPC Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 505 (2) (statements conducing to public mischief) among others, following a complaint filed by BJP leaders.
Balu, according to sources, had allegedly posted on his Facebook page a “morphed picture” of Mr Modi “with a begging bowl” a day before the PM’s visit to Madurai on Sunday.
A news agency quoted a senior Nagapattinam district police officer as saying: “We received a complaint against him (Mr Balu) and took action as per the law.” Balu was being remanded pending a police investigation.
The MDMK, one of the vociferous critics of the BJP, had staged a black flag demonstration against the Prime Minister shortly before he arrived at the temple city to lay the foundation stone for the AIIMS project, accusing him of betraying the interests of Tamil Nadu.
Several MDMK cadres led by party chief Vaiko were detained by the local police. The members had released black balloons besides raising slogans against Mr Modi, denouncing him for allegedly betraying the interests of the state on Cauvery and other issues.
Slogans like “go back Modi,” and counter hashtags “Madurai thanks Modi” and “TN welcomes Modi” trended on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Tamil Nadu State president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union minister of state for finance and shipping Pon Radhakrishnan strongly condemned the MDMK for staging the protest. In April last year, the MDMK members staged a black flag agitation condemning Mr Modi when he visited Chennai to inaugurate the defence expo.
