The IMK leader was arrested for the comment, which he made during a phone conversation with the Tirunelveli district president of the BJP
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – A leader of a Tamil Nadu-based hardline Hindutva outfit was arrested on Tuesday for his obnoxious and inflammatory remarks.
The arrest of Udaiyar, a senior functionary of Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK), a right-wing organisation, follows his alleged provocative statement that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cannot get a foothold in Tamil Nadu unless it orchestrates riots, media reports reaching here said.
Udaiyar’s comments, which he made during a phone conversation with the Tirunelveli district president of the BJP, went viral two days ago, which led to the police action.
In the leaked audio, the vice president of Indu Makkal Katchi is heard speaking to BJP’s Tirunelveli south district president Tamilselvan about party leader Nainar Nagendran’s defeat in the recent Lok Sabha election. Nagendran, an influential leader in Tirunelveli, was one of the candidates on whom the BJP had high hopes.
“The BJP will be able to take roots in Tamil Nadu only by triggering riots,” Udaiyar is heard saying, also mentioning the factional feud within the saffron party. After the audio clip went viral and found its way to the media, the police in Tirunelveli city’s Palayamkottai neighbourhood swung into action and arrested Udaiyar. He was booked under various sections, including 153 (inciting riots), 153A (wanton vilification on the basis of religion, race, community, etc.), 504 (intentionally insulting a person to provoke actions that break public peace), and 505 (inciting offence against another class or community). Udaiyar was presented before a court, which remanded him in custody till June 25.
