Cong leader arrested for derogatory remarks against PM, Shah

Congress leader and Tamil writer Nellai Kannan was arrested by the police for his derogatory remarks and instigating the Muslims to finish off Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Kannan was arrested from a lodge in Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu on Monday night.

Earlier, Kannan, who was admitted to hospital in Tirunelveli for chest pain, decided to move to Madurai for advanced treatment.

Since, he could not be traced in Madurai, police acting on information, arrested him from a lodge in Perambalur.

He would be handed over to Tirunelveli police, which had booked cases under three sections against him for his hate and inflammatory speech.

On a complaint from the BJP, police have registered cases against Kannan under three Secs of IPC, including 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes).

Meanwhile, police have slapped two more cases against Kannan.

The arrest comes in the backdrop of arrest of senior BJP  leaders, including National Secretary H Raja, Rajya Sabha member L Ganesan, former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, C P Radhakrishnan, Ms Vanathi Srinivasan for staging a sit-in dharna last evening in front of Gandhi statue on the Marina beach Front without police permission.

A BJP delegation led by General Secretary K S Narendran also met Governor Banwarilal Puorhit at Raj Bhavan and submitted a petition demanding action against Kannan.

Kannan had instigated the Muslims to finish off Mr Modi and Mr Shah in his speech made at a meeting organised by the SDPI against the CAA in the Muslim-dominated Melapalaym area in Tirunelveli district on Sunday.

Kannan also alleged that Mr Shah was the brain behind Mr Modi and if the former was not there, the latter will not be there.