Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin was detained by police on Tuesday morning from his residence in Neelankarai, Chennai, following complaints over alleged objectionable comments made during a public speech the previous day.
The incident occurred on August 3 at a gathering in Thanjavur focused on the Cauvery water dispute with Karnataka. While criticizing the state government’s handling of the issue and Chief Minister Vijay of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), sections of the audience began chanting ‘Trisha, Trisha.’ Mr. Udhayanidhi paused, smiled, and responded along the lines of ‘Whether the water reaches anywhere else or not, it should reach there,’ before stating that he was referring to the Cauvery river. Supporters reacted with cheers.
TVK leaders, however, described the response as an obscene double-meaning remark targeting the actress and demeaning to women. They filed a complaint at Thanjavur East Police Station (by TVK’s Central District Women’s Wing Organiser S. Bairavi) and approached the National Commission for Women.
Police registered an FIR against him under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (including sections related to promoting enmity and other offences), the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, and the Information Technology Act. He was taken into custody amid heightened security and protests by DMK workers outside his home.
In his initial reaction while being escorted, Mr. Udhayanidhi dismissed the action as a ‘comedy.’ He maintained that he had not named anyone or spoken in bad taste, reiterated that he said nothing wrong against anybody, and stated he was ready to face the consequences and would fight the matter legally. He alleged that a ‘fake narrative’ was created through selective editing of the video and questioned why the issue arose when he had primarily named the Chief Minister.
DMK leaders condemned the detention as political vendetta aimed at diverting attention and suppressing free speech. They insisted the speech focused solely on government failures regarding water sharing and contained no insult to any individual or woman. TVK representatives rejected the vendetta claim, asserting the action was specifically for insulting a woman rather than political criticism. Other parties, including the BJP, also criticized the remarks as vulgar and demanded accountability.
Udhayanidhi Stalin had approached the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail and the court indicated it would hear the matter and directed police not to precipitate action until then, though detention proceeded. The episode has intensified the political confrontation between DMK and the TVK government led by actor-turned-politician Vijay, overshadowing the underlying Cauvery water concerns.