High drama unfolded in Chennai on Tuesday morning as Tamil Nadu Police took Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin into custody from his Neelankarai residence over an allegedly objectionable remark linked to actor Trisha.
The controversy erupted during a DMK protest over the Cauvery water dispute in Thanjavur on Monday.
While addressing the gathering, Udhayanidhi criticised Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, alleging that Tamil Nadu had failed to secure its rightful share of Cauvery water.
The rally took a controversial turn when someone in the crowd reportedly chanted “Trisha, Trisha.” Udhayanidhi allegedly responded with a double-meaning remark that was widely interpreted as offensive, triggering a strong political backlash.
A case was subsequently registered against the DMK leader following a complaint over the remark. Police later took him into custody from his Chennai home.
Udhayanidhi was seen smiling as police escorted him away. He reportedly dismissed the action as a “joke” and said he would challenge it through legal means.
The DMK condemned the police action and described it as political vendetta. Party leader T.K.S. Elangovan maintained that Udhayanidhi had not named Trisha or insulted any woman.
“Nothing was said against anyone. Udhayanidhi only listed Vijay’s failures. There was nothing insulting in his speech, and he did not even name Trisha,” Elangovan said.
TVK leader America V. Narayanan rejected the political-vendetta allegation, arguing that Udhayanidhi had not been taken into custody for criticising Chief Minister Vijay or the ruling party.
“He has been arrested for insulting a woman,” Narayanan said, while also launching a personal attack on the DMK leader.
The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam had earlier lodged a police complaint and approached the National Commission for Women, seeking action against Udhayanidhi over the alleged remarks.
In its complaint to the NCW, the party alleged that Udhayanidhi had used offensive double meanings and vulgar innuendos targeting a prominent female public figure after being prompted by chants from the audience.
The complaint argued that such language, when used from a major political platform, normalises the objectification and verbal harassment of women in public spaces.
The BJP also demanded action against Udhayanidhi, with Tamil Nadu BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy describing the alleged remark as “disgusting, obscene, vulgar and shameful.”
The incident has further intensified the political confrontation between the ruling TVK and the opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu.
