Knee-jerk reactions should be avoided: Opposition

Chennai: Opposition parties have termed the police action of booking people and their subsequent arrest on charges of spreading rumours “knee-jerk” and lacks transparency.

The opposition sees vindictive attitude by the ruling party with DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin leading the charge against the police, alleging that they had picked up his partymen and threatened to disable their social media accounts.

“The AIADMK seeks to create an impression that the DMK is behind the rumours and we suspect that if police are conniving with the ruling party,” he said. The leader of Opposition also pointed out how the Supreme Court had intervened and annulled section 66 (A) of the Information Technology Act, which awarded punishment for sending defamatory statements through various communication devices.

PMK founder S. Ramadoss too said lack of transparency by the state government on the Chief Minister’s health is leading to rumours and held the state government responsible for the spread of rumours. He said everyone who is talking about the Chief Minister’s health is doing so with concern and arresting people based on complaints of AIADMK functionaries are against democracy. Such arrests would lead to political vendetta and suppression of human rights, he warned.

However, former AIADMK minister C. Ponnaiyan denied the charges and said police are acting only those who are spreading false news about the health condition of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. It is a matter of grave importance and the rumour-mongers have not stopped their malicious comments despite severe warning by the police.