The Tamil Nadu police arrested a functionary of the DMK's IT Wing on Wednesday following which the party has hit back at the government. Loganathan, the DMK's IT Wing Assembly Coordinator for Aravakurichi was arrested for publishing on Facebook posts that were reportedly derogatory and aimed at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami. The post was reportedly related to the sensational break-in at the Kodanadu estate of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
According to one report in the Times of India, police sources said that the post contained morphed images of the Chief Minister as well as Transport Minister MR Vijayabaskar. Loganathan was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 203(Giving false information respecting an offence committed), 504(Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 294(b)(sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both) and 506(Punishment for criminal intimidation).
In response to this, the DMK has lashed out at the Tamil Nadu government, alleging that 'different standards are applied to different people when it comes to Social Media Policing' by the state, especially with regard to no action being taken on complaints lodged by the party. "Common citizens, activists, members and cadres of the opposition parties are subject to one approach, whereas those in power and their cheer leaders enjoy inexplicable immunity for any extent of vulgarity or abuse," said a statement from the party’s Madurai Central MLA and IT Wing Secretary PTR Palanivel Thiaga Rajan.
The MLA also slammed the 'total silence' over the documentary released in connection with the Kodanadu case last week by journalist Mathew Samuel. Blaming the press for this, he said that the arrest was vindictive on the part of the Tamil Nadu government.