‘Offensive’ remarks to detention: 6 points on Udhayanidhi Stalin's Trisha comments row

Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was detained earlier on Tuesday, will be released after police complete his questioning in Thanjavur, as per Madras HC's directives.

A massive controversy erupted in Tamil Nadu after leader of the opposition (LoP) Udhayanidhi Stalin was detained on Tuesday for his alleged offensive remarks on actor Trisha Krishnan at a public rally the previous day. However, the Madras High Court later directed authorities to release the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader after questioning is complete.

Udhayanidhi was detained on the basis of a complaint from the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Follow Udhayanidhi Stalin news LIVE updates

Udhayanidhi Stalin detention row: 6 points

1. 'Offensive' remarks on Trisha: DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin allegedly made offensive remarks against actor Trisha Krishnan during a public meeting in Thanjavur on Monday over the Cauvery water dispute. The TVK alleged that Udhayanidhi responded with an obscene and double-meaning remark after the crowd chanted "Trisha, Trisha."

2. TVK files complaint: Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam moved to take action against Stalin junior. TVK's Thanjavur district functionary Bhairavi filed a complaint with the Thanjavur East police, which then booked the Tamil Nadu opposition leader under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including creating enmity among a section of people, Information Technology Act and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Women Harassment Prevention Act for making derogatory comments on women. A complaint was also filed with the National Commission for Women (NCW) in New Delhi.

ALSO READ | From Sanatana row to alleged remarks against Trisha: The many controversies of Udhayanidhi Stalin

3. Udhayanidhi faces criticism: BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy described Stalin's comments as "disgusting, obscene, vulgar and shameful". In a post on X, he said that not even a thief or a rogue with a wife, mother or daughter would speak in such a "vulgar" manner. The BJP leader said that the DMK leader's "low-grade speech" would bring more credit to CM Vijay. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief Manickam Tagore also criticised Stalin, saying his remarks are "acceptable". He demanded that the DMK leader take back his comments and offer an "unconditional apology." Several TVK ministers, including Aadhav Arjuna and N Anand, described the DMK's conduct as "absolutely disgusting". They said that such incidents expose the "mindset and political culture" of the DMK.

4. Udhayanidhi detained: Stalin was detained earlier on Tuesday for his alleged remarks on Trisha. He was picked up from his residence in Chennai's Neelangarai by the Thanjavur police. Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj reached Udhayanidhi's residence before he was detained.

ALSO READ | ‘Never mentioned Trisha’: DMK after Udhayanidhi detained over allegedly offensive remarks

5. Udhayanidhi says 'haven't said anything wrong': Speaking to reporters from inside the police van after his detention, Stalin said he sees this as "a comedy." He clarified that he had not named anyone and that he hadn't spoken in bad taste. "I am ready to face the consequences, and I am not afraid of arrest," he added, once again reaffirming that he did not say anything wrong against anybody. Additionally, veteran DMK leader TR Baalu defended Stalin, saying that he has not mentioned anyone nor has he made a reference against any particular woman. "These are cooked-up false stories," Baalu said, referring to the allegations levelled against the LoP.

6. Madras HC directs release: Madras high court Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan directed police to release Stalin "today itself" after his questioning. The directive came after the TVK government submitted to the court that it had merely detained the LoP for questioning, clarifying that he would be released soon. Tamil Nadu Advocate General (AG) Vijay Narayan told the court that the State had "no intention" of keeping Stalin in custody, adding that the government only wants to protect women's interests. Besides directing the DMK leader's release, the court also directed Stalin to cooperate with the investigation and appear before the police as and when requested. The court was hearing an urgent anticipatory bail plea moved by Stalin after an FIR was registered against him.

(with inputs from HT's S Vijay Karthik, Ayesha Arvind)

Asmita Ravi Shankar is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi. She covers breaking news and focuses on crime, geopolitics, and the domestic political landscape. She has an eye for the intricacies in criminal investigations and a keen interest in how diplomacy and complexities affect politics, within India and globally. She has written extensively about Operation Sindoor, the Iran-US conflict, elections in India, Trump tariffs and diplomacy. Asmita also engages in multimedia storytelling, using interactive elements to enhance readers' news experience and build a high-traffic news ecosystem. With nearly three years of experience in the journalism industry, Asmita has been with HT for a little over a year. She has previously worked with online news teams at Outlook India and Network18, covering a wide range of beats and building her specialisation. In HT, she has been recognised for her comprehensive reportage and her contribution to coverage of the Bihar assembly election results, having single-handedly driven over 2 million users on that day. Asmita earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, the University of Delhi. She went on to earn a postgraduate diploma in integrated journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, sharpening her skills in multimedia storytelling, editing and sourcing to enrich her reportage. Additionally, Asmita holds a degree in Bharatanatyam from the Pracheen Kala Kendra. She is also a teacher of the Indian classical dance form. When not working on news, Asmita can be found dancing, binge-watching true crime docu-series, cooking and exploring various genres of music.Read More