Tamil orator Nellai Kannan booked for his speech against PM, Amit Shah

The Tamil orator sparked controversy on Monday when a video of his went viral.

news Controversy

The Tirunelveli City police, on Tuesday, booked Tamil orator Nellai Kannan for his ‘provocative’ remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a rally in the city.

Confirming the FIR, S Saravanan, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli City told TNM that an FIR has been registered against Nellai Kannan based on a complaint lodged by BJP District President (Tirunelveli) Daya Shankar on Monday. Nellai Kannan has been booked under 504 [Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace], 505(1)(b) [with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility], and 505 (2) [statements which create or promote enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes] of the IPC.

Nellai Kannan courted controversy on Monday when videos of his speech at an SDPI rally which was held on Sunday in Tirunelveli went viral. In the videos, he is seen saying, “There is one guy called Amit Shah. (Modi) is the Prime Minister but (Amit Shah) is his brains. If Amit Shah is finished off then Modi is finished too. Leave that be to one side.” He then goes to to say, “But none of you are finishing it. Let that be to one side. I keep thinking you all will do something,” looking around at the mostly Muslim dignitaries on the dais.

Following the speech, several BJP functionaries lodged complaints with the police to take stringent action on Kannan. While BJP party General Secretary KS Narendran submitted his complaint to the DGP, BJP State Unit Spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathi also filed a complaint requesting the police to take action on Kannan.

Nellai Kannan, in his speech on Sunday, made several other controversial remarks too. He made sexist remarks about Smriti Irani. He also made it clear that he addresses everybody by their caste names, he said, “Everyone spoke angrily. It was good,” he says. Patting Velmurugan (Thamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi) on the back, he says, “Padayachi (caste) got very angry,” adding, “The kids know, I call everyone by their caste name.”

He also spoke about former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and made apparent references to the sexual harassment allegations against him.