The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had reportedly filed a First Information Report (FIR) against popular Tamil vlogger Maridhas, for a 30-minute-long Youtube video in his channel ‘Maridhas Answers’ wherein he had called the late DMK supremo M Karunanidhi as the ‘father of corruption.’
Maridhas had reiterated that the points raised in his video were verified by him and his team. He even announced that he would delete the video if DMK supporters could prove that he was spreading fake news or casting aspersions about the former leader. At the very onset, Maridhas explained how a vicious campaign was underway to absolve M Karunanndihi of his corrupt practices by projecting him as an able administrator and a leader who dedicated his life for the upliftment of Tamilians, Dravidians, and minorities.
Maridhas claimed that the success of the former DMK patriarch was due to manipulative skills and a shrewd divide and rude policy. Hailing him as the paragon of corruption, the Tamil blogger warned youngsters to not get swayed by fake propaganda and make efforts to discover the truth.
Yes, a police complaint has been filed on me again by the DMK cadres. They are welcome to file a case on me if they can pinpoint what details that I have shared in my video were wrong.
— Maridhas (@MaridhasAnswers) June 7, 2020
The Contentious video
In the Youtube video, Maridhas drew analogies between the former US President George W. Bush and the former DMK supremo. He argued that while both promoted their family members in politics but Karunanidhi had limited powers as the head of a State in the Union of India. Maridhas alleged that in 19 years of DMK’s rule, the party patriarch had generated wealth to the tune of ₹25,000 crores. He said that even Bush and Barrack Obama’s net worth is around 40 crores.
The Tamil vlogger talked about the inquiry commission led by Ranjith Singh Sarakaria, former Supreme Court judge, against M Karunanidhi during the Emergency. He revealed how Sarakaria was so shocked at the blatant misuse of government funds that he labelled the practice as a ‘scientific corruption.’ The inquiry commission was constituted during the time of Indira Gandhi after the Tamil Nadu government was dismissed by the Union Government.
In the video, Maridhas highlighted multiple instances of corruption against the DMK Patriarch and his family that had both been probed and proved by various law enforcement agencies. He talked about how ₹10 crores (current worth of ₹10,000 crores) were allotted to clean the Cooum river during the rule of CN Annadurai. When questioned by the opposition Congress, Karunanidhi, who was the then PWD Minister claimed that the money was spent for the safety of workers as they were panicked by the alleged presence of ‘crocodiles’ in the river.
Concluding that Karunanidhi was indeed the ‘Father of Corruption’, Maridhas claimed that during the probe of the Sarkaria Commission, it was found that 30,000 bags of sugar (current worth of ₹50,000 crores) were missing from the government warehouse. Reportedly, the DMK patriarch came up with a bizarre explanation. Karunanidhi said that while ants ate the sugar another set of white rats ate the gunny bags as well.
Maridhas stands by his video
Speaking to Organiser, Maridhas said that M Karunanidhi, unlike a responsible leader, denied both equal opportunity and recognition to people. He alleged that the DMK patriarch had enmassed massive wealth during his 19-year-long tenure.
“All these years, how could Karunanidhi amass so much wealth by ruling a small state like Tamil Nadu? People should realise this and this is solely my aim”, he was quoted as saying.
The Youtuber who has been the subject of legal intimidation in the past also revealed that he was threatened by the DMK supporters, following the announcement of his video about M Karunanidhi. Maridhas asked, “Complaints have been filed against me but can they explain what was factually wrong in what I said? Only people with sense will think. How can we expect such things from slaves? I will take teach a good lesson to DMK and DK for betraying Hindus”
FIR against Maridhas for questioning Tablighi Jamaat
In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, it was found that the Tablighi Jamaat event held at Nizamuddin in Delhi had been responsible for the sudden spike in the transmission of the deadly virus in India in March. The State of Tamil Nadu was badly affected with 637 patients out of 690 belonging to Tablighi Jamaat. He warned of the different types of individuals who end up providing cover fire for terrorism, intentionally or unintentionally, by conflating terrorism with Islam or invoking Islamophobia to thwart genuine inquiry into the nature of terrorism.
Seeing this as a provocation, an FIR was filed against Maridhass in Melapalayam, Tirunelveli District under sections 292-A (printing of grossly indecent or scurrilous matter or matter intended to blackmail, 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), and 505(2) (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) and provisions under Section 67 B of Information Technology Act.
