The General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, has spoken out against the arrest of an AIADMK IT cell functionary. The party IT cell district functionary from Erode, Gowtham, was arrested on charges of defaming Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on social media. The DMK filed a complaint with the police, leading to Gowtham’s arrest.
Palaniswami condemned the arrest, warning that the police officials responsible may face legal action if they continue to file false cases against AIADMK members. Palaniswami called on Stalin to dismiss V. Senthil Balaji from the Cabinet following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate and subsequent judicial custody.
The arrest of Gowtham is not the first among political party members. Recently, Tamil Nadu police also arrested a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party’s IT wing on similar charges of defaming the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on social media.
The political rivalry between the AIADMK and DMK parties in Tamil Nadu is increasing. In the recent assembly elections, the DMK took over power from the ruling AIADMK by a majority. Ever since then, the two parties have been engaging in a series of allegations and counter-allegations, mostly through social media.
The increasing number of arrests of political party members for defaming their opponents on social media platforms has raised concerns among free speech advocates. While social media is a powerful tool to express opinions and build a following, it is important to use it responsibly and within the limits of free speech.
