The Madras High Court on Thursday granted bail to Kollywood action choreographer and Hindu Munnani Katchi member, ‘Kanal’ Kannan, after a case was lodged against him for a speech calling for the demolition of a statue of Dravidian ideologue and rationalist Periyar. Kannan had called for the demolition of the Periyar statue located outside the Srirangam Ranganathar temple in Tiruchi district via his YouTube channel MaiChennai 360. He was arrested on August 15 and charged under IPC sections 153, (intent to cause riot) 505(1)(b) and 505(2) (statements conducing to public mischief). The police in their affidavit had said that Kannan had attempted to flee arrest and was later taken into custody in Puducherry.
While granting him bail, Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan directed Kannan to submit an affidavit swearing that he would not indulge in further provocative speeches. The court also directed the petitioner to appear before the investigating officer of Chennai Crime Branch Police in the morning and evening for four weeks besides cooperating with the investigation.
The police, in their affidavit, had said that Kannan’s video also insulted Christians and Muslims and had received over 7000 views. Further, the affidavit alleges that this is not the first time Kannan has used his YouTube channel to post “about the people he dislikes and ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party came into power in the Union government, the petitioner, a functionary of the Hindu Munnani, has been continuously attacking all his opponent with abusive words.”
In his bail petition, Kannan argued that he had done nothing wrong in calling for the demolition of the statue of a leader who had denied the existence of god as it was opposite a temple visited by lakhs of people. He also contended that police should have arrested those who have erected the statue and not him.