Traffic Ramaswamy, who filed PIL seeking information on Jayalalithaa's health, booked for spreading rumours
The arrest of 8 people and registration of case against more than 50 has sparked a fresh debate on deciding punishment in a healthy democracy
In Short
- 8 arrested, cases against more than 50 in Tamil Nadu for speading rumours about Jayalalithaa's health.
- Is this democracy or dictatorship, asks Markandey Katju
- DMK workers are being targeted, What authority does the AIADMK's IT wing have: DMK
The police have arrested around 8 people and registered cases against more than 50 people, but this has invited criticism from several quarters.
WANT PRESIDENT'S RULE IN TAMIL NADU: KATJU
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju in his Facebook page wrote: "Is this democracy or dictatorship? Is there no freedom of expression for the people of Tamil Nadu?" He also goes on to say that he will "appeal to the President to impose President rule in Tamil Nadu under Article 356 of the Constitution on the ground that the constitutional machinery has broken down in the state."
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DMK WORKERS TARGETTED, QUESTION AIADMK'S IT WING
The opposition party in the state has been alleging that their cadres are being targeted. DMK spokesperson, Adv Saravanan said, "Many of our DMK workers are being targeted and false cases have been filed against them. Also, what is the IT wing of the AIADMK that the police said to be working along with? What authority does the AIADMK's IT wing has? Moreover, social media is like a corner tea shop, how can a person be arrested for raising doubts? Then this will no longer be a democracy but will be dictatorship."
ALSO READ: Karunanidhi's wife visits Apollo Hospital to enquire about Jayalalithaa's health
DEBATE ON HEALTHY DEMOCRACY SPARKED
Meanwhile, Traffic Ramaswamy has filed an interim petition in the Supreme Court requesting the courts urgent interference to get the people arrested released and calling it unlawful. The case will come for hearing on Monday, October 24, 2016. The case is led by Advocate G S Mani, who had also represented DMDK chief Vijayakant in the defamation case filed against him by the Tamil Nadu government.
In Vijayakanth's case Justice Deepak Mishra had observed, "This is not the way... this is not the sign of a healthy democracy. This shows State's control over the sanctioning authority and prosecutor's office in filing defamation cases against opponents, media and political rivals."
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