Stalin accuses ruling party of police‑state tactics after Radhakrishnan’s arrest

Chennai, July 3 – In a fiery statement on Friday, DMK chief M. K. Stalin accused the Tamil Nadu government of turning the state into a "police‑state" following the arrest of former minister Anitha R. Radhakrishnan. The former minister, who also serves as DMK’s Tuticorin South district secretary, was taken into custody after the Madras High Court denied her anticipatory bail request.\n\nAuthorities allege that Radhakrishnan made derogatory comments about Chief Minister Joseph C. Vijay, mocking his entry into politics from the film arena and his conduct in the legislative assembly. The remarks were reportedly made at a public meeting in Othur, Thoothukudi district, on June 20.\n\nStalin questioned the timing, noting that Radhakrishnan was engaged in constituency‑level inspection work at the moment of her arrest. "Why rush to detain an elected representative serving her people? The chief minister appears to be governing with a cinematic flair, not with democratic prudence," he posted on social media.\n\nThe opposition also pointed to the government's inconsistent handling of other serious crimes, citing the delayed action on a legislator charged with collective rape and the unchecked rise in crimes against women across Tamil Nadu.\n\nDMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi branded the detention as "political intimidation" and pledged that the party would not submit to any repressive measures. Youth wing secretary Udayanidhi Stalin labelled the administration a "sofa model" and a "reels government," suggesting that political retaliation has supplanted genuine governance.