Well-known publisher and political analyst Badri Seshadri was on Saturday arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police for his “provocative remarks” on Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud over the Supreme Court’s observation that it would be forced to intervene in the Manipur violence if the Centre didn’t act.
Seshadri, 58, is the founder of Kizhakku Pathipagam, one of the leading publishing houses in Tamil Nadu, and is a regular on Tamil television and YouTube channels. He was picked up from his residence in Mylapore here on Saturday morning and taken to Perambalur, where a First Information Report (FIR) was filed against him based on a complaint filed by a lawyer, Kaviyarasu.
The FIR said Seshadri, an ardent supporter of the BJP, has been booked under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
In an interview to Aadhan Tamil, a popular YouTube channel, Seshadri had criticized the Supreme Court’s observation that it would be forced to intervene in the Manipur issue if the Centre didn’t act immediately.
The Manipur High Court’s decision to grant Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community led to the violence in the north-eastern state, Seshadri said in the interview and took objection to the Supreme Court intervening in a sensitive issue.
“Let's give a gun to Chandrachud and send him there. Let's see if he can restore peace,” he told in the interview.
The arrest evoked strong condemnation from the BJP and others, who accused the DMK government of trying to stifle freedom of speech.
புகழ்பெற்ற பதிப்பாளர், மேடைப் பேச்சாளர் திரு @bseshadri அவர்களை தமிழக காவல்துறை இன்று அதிகாலை கைது செய்துள்ளதை @BJP4TamilNadu வன்மையாகக் கண்டிக்கிறது.
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) July 29, 2023
சாமானிய மக்களின் கருத்துக்களை எதிர்கொள்ள திராணியற்று கைது நடவடிக்கையை மட்டுமே நம்பி இருக்கிறது இந்த ஊழல் திமுக அரசு.
ஊழல்…
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai said: “This corrupt DMK government is hellbent on arresting people as it doesn’t muster the courage to handle people’s comments. Is the police’s only job is to execute the political decisions of the DMK government?”
Did the CJI or the judiciary raise this issue with the State Govt asking for action to be taken? Or did the State Govt decide to act on its own on behalf of the judiciary? If it was the latter it is simply shocking. Strongly condemn the arrest of @bseshadri . The attempt to… https://t.co/hanlGdGvoX
— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) July 29, 2023
Political commentator Sumanth Raman asked did the CJI or the judiciary raise this issue with the state government asking for action to be taken. “Or did the State Govt decide to act on its own on behalf of the judiciary? If it was the latter it is simply shocking. Strongly condemn the arrest of @bseshadri. The attempt to intimidate every dissenting voice will backfire for sure,” he wrote on Twitter.
I have had bitter arguments with @bseshadri . I despise his political stand. But I don't think anything he has said warrants an arrest.
— Lakshmi Ramachandran (@laksr_tn) July 29, 2023
Congress General Secretary Lakshmi Ramachandran too took to Twitter to condemn the arrest. “I have had bitter arguments with @bseshadri. I despise his political stand. But I don't think anything he has said (that) warrants an arrest,” she said.