Cong leaders demand Seeman’s arrest after NTK Duraimurugan’s speech on Rajiv Gandhi

Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu have lodged a complaint with the Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu demanding that the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief Seeman be booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The party leaders filed a complaint following a provocative speech given by NTK functionary and YouTuber ‘Sattai’ Duraimurugan who made remarks about the death of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. 

According to reports, the complaint states that the NTK was promoting extremism. In his speech given in Tirunelveli earlier this week, Duraimurugan alleged that “Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi etc know what the followers of Prabhakaran (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam chief) are capable of.” 

He also made derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, for which he was arrested on October 11. According to reports, the meeting was held to protest against the mining of sand and stones in Kanyakumari and their transport to neighbouring state of Kerala. 

Duraimurugan has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including 153 (provocation with intent to cause riots) as well as for criminal intimidation and vilification. He was produced before a judicial magistrate and was remanded to judicial custody till October 25.

Earlier too Duraimurugan has made controversial statements and found himself behind bars. In June 2021, he and three others were arrested for allegedly threatening to attack a person for posting content criticising LTTE chief V Prabhakaran on social media. 

At the time, the secretary of the DMK lawyers’ wing had also filed a complaint against Duraimurugan for allegedly producing a ‘slanderous’ video against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

He is a member of NTK or Naam Tamilar Katchi, a party founded by SP Adithanar. He runs a YouTube channel called ‘Sattai,’ which has over 5 lakh subscribers.