EPS warns state govt against arresting IT wing members

Erode: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday condemned the arrest of the party’s IT wing functionary in the district for forwarding the messages and videos related to DMK minister V Senthil Balaji’s arrest.
In a media statement, he said Gowtham, of Modakkurichi in Erode, had forwarded a few messages and videos of M K Stalin’s statement as the opposition leader when he criticized Senthil Balaji, who was then with the AIADMK. “Several youths and others recently uploaded such old videos on social media. Disapproving of such acts, the DMK government is registering cases against AIADMK functionaries and public.”
According to EPS, the Erode district police arrested Gowtham at his house on Friday and held an inquiry with him for nearly eight hours. “He was produced before a judicial magistrate after 10pm without informing his parents and advocates. Did he commit any big crime?”
He warned that the AIADMK would take legal action against the police officials if they continued to arrest the party’s IT wing functionaries. Pointing out how he allowed the police department to work freely during his regime, EPS said he was expecting the same now.
“Stalin will face dire consequences, if he continues to threaten the state’s main opposition party,” he said. EPS also urged Stalin to remove Senthil Balaji from the cabinet, as keeping him in the cabinet without any portfolio would be a historical error.