Student who shouted 'down with fascist govt’ at BJP’s Tamilisai in flight detained

Sofia Lois was on her way back to Thoothukudi from Canada when the incident happened.

news Controversy

State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Tamilisai Soundararajan was seen losing her cool at the Thoothukudi Airport on Monday and asking a police woman to take action against a student who shouted anti BJP slogans on a flight.

According to the police, Sofia Lois, a student from University of Montreal, Canada, who was also travelling in the same flight with Tamilisai Soundararajan raised anti-BJP slogans. Enraged by this, Tamilisai Soundararajan engaged in a verbal fight with the student and later with the police who were stationed in the airport and had tried to calm her down.

Tamil Nadu BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan lost her cool after a co-passenger shouted “fascist BJP government down down” inside the Tuticorin airport. The co-passenger was detained by the airport police for questioning. pic.twitter.com/P1bMBPpl47 3 September 2018

“When I am taking my bag, a customer shouts 'BJP’s Fascist government down down'. Is that freedom of speech?” she is seen asking in the clip. The leader has also allegedly lodged a complaint with the Pudukkottai police station about the incident after which the police have detained Sofia Lois for questioning.

After giving complaint against Sofia in the airport, Tamilisai met the reporters and said that Sofia could belong to some terror outfit by seeing the way she behaved. "She did not look like a normal person. I am not scared or worried because of her. The other passengers inside the flight should not be affected by her, that is why I responded. In a public place people can shout, but nobody has the right to shout inside an aircraft," she said.

Athisiya Kumar, Advocate for Sofia Lois spoke to TNM and said that the BJP leader could have handled the issue in a better manner.

“She (Tamilisai) is a good doctor, a senior leader. Couldn't she have just spoken to her? Instead of shaming her in public. She (Sofia Lois) is just a student. It's so common to do this in Canada. We don't have that freedom in India. Instead of advising her, she has insulted her. She also instigated her cadres who have been even more vulgar,” he alleged.

Adding that Sofia is strong in her stand of not apologising, he said that her father has filed a complaint against the cadres with the police.

Talking to TNM, Superintendent of Police Murali Ramba IPS said, “We got the complaint from the leader and are conducting inquiry. After that, if there is a case they will get legal opinion and then file an FIR.”

Update: An FIR has been filed against Sofia under Indian Penal Code Sections 290(Punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for), 505(Statements Conducing to Public Mischief) as well as Section 75(1) of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act, 1888.