Madurai: Nellai Kannan booked for speech against PM Modi, Amit Shah

MADURAI: Orator and writer Nellai Kannan was booked by the Tirunelveli city police under three IPC sections for hate speech against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam at an SDPI meeting held at Melapalayam in Tirunelveli city on Sunday.
Melapalayam police booked him under IPC sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505(i)(b) (intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquillity), and 505 (ii) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes).
As this failed to appease BJP cadres, they protested in front of his house on the Gandhimathi Ammal Sannathi Street and the private hospital where he was admitted on Tuesday afternoon as he complained of chest pain. They demanded to book him under The National Security Act (NSA). The protests were so strong at the hospital that he had to be discharged in an hour. His relatives said he would be taken to a private hospital in Madurai. Tension mounted as DMK, Congress and SDPI cadres gathered in support of Kannan. The police pacified the protesters and also conducted preliminary inquiry with Kannan prior to his hospitalisation.
AIADMK cadres petitioned police commissioner Deepak M Damoor and also beat Kannan’s portrait with slippers and brooms for defaming the CM and deputy CM. A senior police officer said that Kannan was in the hospital last month too and he would be quizzed after he is discharged. “We will take the next step (arrest) if needed,” he added. BJP’s senior leaders in Tamil Nadu will stage a sit-in protest in front of Gandhi Statue on Marina Beach on Wednesday demanding his arrest for instigating Muslims to “finish off” Modi and Amit Shah.