Insulting woman's modesty, hate speech: Charges against Udhayanidhi Stalin

Udhayanidhi Stalin was arrested after police booked him over crass comments alluding to actor Trisha. Here's a look at the charges the DMK leader is facing.

In Short

• Case against Udhayanidhi Stalin following a complaint by TVK's women's wing
• Udhayanidhi Stalin made objectionable remark about actor Trisha, Vijay's friend
• Charges include obscene speech, intimidation, provoking breach of peace

High drama unfolded in Chennai on Tuesday as DMK leader and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin was booked, picked up by cops and arrested within hours. He is in hot water over a vulgar remark that was widely seen as an allusion to actor Trisha, a close friend of Chief Minister Vijay.

The firestorm erupted after Udhayanidhi Stalin's speech at a protest over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute in Thanjavur on Monday. His comments triggered outrage from the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), whose leaders accused him of making a "disgusting" double entendre targeting the actor. The party's women's wing lodged a complaint, following which Tamil Nadu Police registered a case and arrived at Udhayanidhi’s home before whisking him away for questioning.

Police then slapped a raft of charges on Udhayanidhi, from outraging a woman’s modesty to hate speech.

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According to the FIR registered at Thanjavur Town East Police Station, the DMK leader has been charged with promoting enmity or hatred between groups (BNS Section 196), provoking a riot (Section 192), intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of peace (Section 352), insulting the modesty of a woman (Section 79), uttering obscene words in a public place (Section 296(b)), criminal conspiracy (Section 61) and criminal intimidation (Section 351(2)).

He has also been booked under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, which deals with harassment in public places, and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

The inclusion of BNS Section 196, which pertains to promoting enmity or hatred between groups, effectively adds a hate speech charge to the case.

Speaking briefly to reporters outside his home before being escorted away by police, Udhayanidhi appeared sanguine and downplayed the controversial nature of his remarks. He also denied naming anyone apart from the Chief Minister.

"Did I mention anyone's name except the CM's? Then why do you think this is happening? Let the court decide," he said.

His arrest sparked protests across Tamil Nadu, with DMK workers taking to the streets in several districts. Clashes between protesters and police were reported in some areas as the party accused the Vijay-led government of using the police to target the Opposition.

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