Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate Karthika was arrested on Tuesday over a road blockade during Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s election campaign in Dharapuram on October 4, drawing condemnation from NTK chief Seeman and DMK leaders.
Karthika, who contested the recently concluded Dharapuram Assembly by-election, was named in an FIR registered on the day of the protest. Police arrested her early Tuesday.
The protest led to an altercation between NTK and TVK cadres after Karthika and her party workers entered the route of Vijay’s roadshow.
Karthika’s friend Srinivas told India Today that police had also arrested her husband.
“Both Karthika and her husband were arrested this morning. Cops climbed over the compound and arrested them. They have two girl children. Police are not giving us any information and are making us run around,” he said.
SEEMAN ALLEGES POLITICAL VENDETTA
Seeman accused the TVK government of filing false cases against NTK members to settle political scores.
“Filing false cases with the intent of political revenge and arresting Naam Tamilar Katchi members, including sister Kartika, is the despicable politics of the Thavega government!” he said.
“No power is permanent, and no regime is everlasting! The day this government and its power fall is not far off!” he added.
DMK LEADERS CONDEMNS ARREST
DMK president MK Stalin also condemned the arrest over the case registered during the by-election campaign.
“The arrest of Naam Tamilar Katchi's candidate Mrs. Karthika by the TVK government, due to a case pursued during the recently concluded Dharapuram constituency by-election, is strongly condemnable,” he said.
DMK MP Kanimozhi accused the government of trying to suppress opposition parties. She said that despite ideological differences, the DMK had raised criticism through democratic means during its tenure.
Kanimozhi also alleged a breakdown of law and order, power cuts and rising prices, saying the government should address public grievances instead of targeting political rivals.
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