Archive · 5 Aug 2026
Kannada actor Chetan Ahimsa questions Udhayanidhi Stalin's arrest
A leader named Udhayanidhi Stalin belongs to a big political group called DMK.
He said something about a famous leader and actor named Vijay.
Some people said his words were a rude joke about Vijay's friendship with another actor.
Because of that, the police took Udhayanidhi into custody for a short time.
A Kannada movie actor named Chetan Ahimsa was upset about this.
He said Udhayanidhi's words may have been in bad taste.
But he said putting someone in jail for words is too much.
He compared the arrest to using a big machete to fight a tiny mosquito.
Chetan also said the government is using police to scare people who disagree with it.
He warned that Tamil Nadu might be turning into a police state, a place where the government uses police to control people instead of protecting them.
DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin was briefly arrested over allegations that he made a sexually suggestive reference to Chief Minister Vijay's friendship with a popular Tamil actor.
Kannada actor and activist Chetan Ahimsa questioned the arrest in a post on X, calling Vijay an 'ignoramus' chief minister.
Ahimsa said Udhayanidhi's words may have been 'distasteful, questionable,' but argued an arrest was not the right response.
He accused Vijay of a 'consistent pattern of weaponising govt machinery & police against opponents.'
Ahimsa warned that Tamil Nadu is 'turning into a POLICE STATE' and likened the arrest to using 'a machete against mosquito.'
- Who
- Udhayanidhi Stalin, a DMK leader, was arrested; Kannada actor-activist Chetan Ahimsa criticised the arrest; Vijay, Tamil Nadu's chief minister, was the subject of the alleged remark.
- What
- Stalin was briefly arrested over allegations that he made a sexually suggestive reference to Vijay's friendship with a popular Tamil actor.
- When
- Ahimsa spoke out on Tuesday, hours after the arrest.
- Where
- Tamil Nadu, India.
- Why
- The arrest followed allegations of a sexually suggestive reference; Ahimsa said the move shows the government weaponising police against opponents.
Critics of the arrest
Supporters of the arrest
Proportionality of the arrest
Critics of the arrest
Udhayanidhi's words may have been 'distasteful, questionable,' but an arrest is a disproportionate response - Ahimsa likens it to using 'a machete against mosquito.'
Supporters of the arrest
Police acted on allegations that Udhayanidhi made a sexually suggestive reference to Vijay's friendship with a popular Tamil actor, treating the remark as a serious matter.
Government's use of police powers
Critics of the arrest
Ahimsa says Vijay 'never understood democracy' and has a consistent pattern of weaponising government machinery and police against opponents, turning Tamil Nadu into a 'police state.'
Supporters of the arrest
The article reports the arrest as following the allegation directly and does not quote any defence of Vijay's leadership or the decision to arrest.
- Arrested person
- Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK leader
- Allegation
- Sexually suggestive reference to Vijay's friendship with a popular Tamil actor
- Status
- Briefly arrested
- Chief minister involved
- Vijay
- Critic
- Chetan Ahimsa, Kannada actor and activist
- Key criticism
- 'Machete against mosquito'; Tamil Nadu turning into a 'police state'
- Location
- Tamil Nadu
- Platform
- Post on X