NEW DELHI: DMK supremo MK Stalin on Tuesday hit out at Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay over the arrest of a party MLA, warning that the people would teach the ruling TVK a “befitting lesson” if it tried to “cover up its misrule” through arrests.“If this government thinks it can cover up its misrule with arrests, the people themselves will teach a fitting lesson to such arrogance,” Stalin, Vijay’s predecessor as chief minister, said in an X post.He referred to an editorial in an English daily that criticised the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government for initiating criminal proceedings over political criticism.Stalin’s remarks came amid an escalating confrontation between the ruling TVK and the principal opposition DMK. On Monday, DMK MLA GV Markandeyan was arrested over his purported “we will crush your bones” remark allegedly directed at chief minister Vijay.After several hours of questioning, Markandeyan was produced before a local court, which remanded him to judicial custody.Stalin condemned the police action, describing it as an attempt to criminalise “political criticism”, and warned of consequences.TVK, launched by Vijay in February 2024, emerged as the single-largest party in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections in April and later formed the government with the support of the Congress, VCK, IUML, and the Left parties.Vijay, an actor-turned-politician, succeeded Stalin as chief minister after the DMK government was voted out following a single term in office.(With PTI inputs)
