Chennai, June 8 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Women’s Wing president and former Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan on Monday strongly condemned the arrest of YouTuber Maridhas, accusing the Tamil Nadu government of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of attempting to silence criticism and suppress democratic dissent.

Maridhas was arrested by police at his residence in Madurai following complaints over a series of videos he had posted targeting Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, several TVK ministers, and ruling party MLAs. Members of the ruling party alleged that the YouTuber used artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content and made defamatory remarks against government leaders through his videos.

The arrest sparked sharp political reactions, with the BJP accusing the state government of curbing freedom of expression.

In a statement posted on social media, Vanathi Srinivasan described the arrest as “highly condemnable” and said it reflected intolerance towards criticism of the government. She alleged that Maridhas was arrested merely for questioning and criticising the functioning of the TVK government, which she referred to as a “reels-model government.”

According to her, highlighting a government’s mistakes and shortcomings is a fundamental right guaranteed to every citizen in a democracy. She argued that using police action and arrests to silence critics amounted to an attack on freedom of speech and democratic values.

She maintained that governments must remain open to criticism and public scrutiny, particularly in a democratic system where accountability is essential.

The BJP leader further claimed that the TVK government was adopting the same methods that opposition parties had previously criticised during the DMK regime. She alleged that, in the past, individuals who highlighted alleged failures of the government and social media critics were subjected to intimidation and arrests, and that a similar pattern was now emerging under the present administration.

Stressing the importance of protecting democratic rights, Vanathi said no government should attempt to suppress critical voices or dissenting opinions through coercive measures. Instead, she said, governments should address criticism through facts, explanations, and public engagement.

“Criticism should be countered with answers and responses, not with arrests,” she said.

The arrest of Maridhas is expected to further escalate the political confrontation between the ruling TVK and opposition parties, with freedom of expression, social media criticism, and the role of law enforcement likely to remain at the centre of the debate in Tamil Nadu.

–IANS

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