Tamil Nadu police arrest DMK legislator for speech ‘threatening’ CM Vijay
2 min readUpdated: Jul 20, 2026 12:31 PM IST
The arrest followed the circulation of videos from the public meeting, in which the legislator was seen delivering a speech directed at the Chief Minister.
DMK MLA G V Markandeyan was arrested on Monday for allegedly making threatening and inflammatory remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay during a public meeting in Kovilpatti.
Markandeyan, who represents the Vilathikulam Assembly constituency in Thoothukudi district, was taken into custody from his residence in Vilathikulam early Monday morning. The arrest followed the circulation of videos from the public meeting, in which the legislator was seen delivering a speech directed at the Chief Minister. The remarks, which included references allegedly interpreted as threatening physical violence and personal attacks, quickly spread on social media and drew widespread criticism.
Subsequently, police personnel arrived at the MLA’s residence in the morning and escorted him into custody. Supporters gathered outside the house, raised slogans against the police action and briefly attempted to block the vehicle carrying him away. Police dispersed the protesters before taking Markandeyan to the office of the Superintendent of Police for questioning.
Officials said he is expected to be produced before a court later in the day.
The speech at the centre of the controversy went beyond political criticism, featuring language that allegedly threatened the CM with physical harm, questioned his conduct inside the Assembly and mocked him in personal terms.
In the controversial speech, Markandeyan also criticised the government’s agricultural policies, particularly the criteria for farm loan waivers, accusing it of discriminating between small and large farmers while attacking the CM over election promises and welfare announcements.
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Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More
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Source: Indian Express
