Social Media Abuzz with Naidu's Arrest; Ram Charan Trolled, Parties Fight Online War

VISHAKHAPATNAM: The arrest of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, on a weekend, turned into a hot topic for discussion on social media platforms, with political leaders, celebrities and netizens weighing in on the issue.

Political leaders, as always, remained divided about Naidu’s arrest, as some voices were in strong support of the move, while others criticised Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and termed the arrest as an act of ‘Jagan’s anarchy’.

Those in support of Naidu emphasised the importance of upholding liberty and justice, claiming that his arrest could erode public trust in democratic institutions, while those on the other side of the spectrum maintained that Naidu’s arrest was justified in pursuit of justice.

Meanwhile, popular actor Ram Charan found himself at the centre of the storm, being trolled by YSRC sympathisers.

Netizens unearthed one of his old tweets from May 27, 2012, in which Ram Charan expressed approval of the government's actions following the arrest of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy by then Congress government at the Centre and state. YSRC supporters questioned why he hadn't expressed similar sentiments regarding Naidu's arrest, using the hashtag #RamCharanTweets.

The online backlash against Ram Charan sparked a broader debate about the role of celebrities and public figures in commenting on political matters, as well as the impact of past statements in the current political climate.

Netizens also took to social media to discuss the broader implications of Naidu's arrest on the state of democracy in the country. Some argued that the arrest raised important questions about the health of democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Additionally, some questioned the timing of Naidu's arrest, especially when India was hosting the G20 Summit. They speculated about the political motivations behind the arrest and the relationship between the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the TD. Some even questioned why Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy failed to take similar actions against his political rival in the past.