Tamil Nadu: NTK chief Seeman booked for sedition after hoisting Moovendar flag on Nov 1
They also alleged that 'controversial remarks' had been made by Seeman after which a case was lodged against him on the complaint of Ammapettai village officer.
Naam Thamizhar Katchi (NTK) chief Seeman landed in trouble on Wednesday after the police lodged a case against him for allegedly hoisting a flag with the Moovendar emblem to celebrate 'Tamil Nadu Day'. Protesting against the DMK Government's decision to shift 'Tamil Nadu Day' to July 18, the actor-turned-politician unfurled a flag with the emblem of the Moovendar (Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas) printed on it in Salem’s Ammapettai on November 1.
The Tamil Nadu police have alleged that Seeman hoisted the Moovendar emblem as a separate flag of the state in a big to spark 'enmity' between groups. They also alleged that 'controversial remarks' had been made by Seeman following which a case was lodged against him on the complaint of Ammapettai village officer, Raja.
The case has been registered under Sections 124A (sedition), 143 (unlawful assembly), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion, race, etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 505 (1) (c) (with intention to incite or which is likely to incite any class or community of persons to commit any offense against any other class or community) of the Indian Penal Code.
Tamil Nadu Day to be celebrated on July 18
The row comes against the backdrop of the Stalin-led government's decision to shift Tamil Nadu Day to July 18. Reversing the previous AIADMK government's decision, the ruling DMK on October 30 announced that the state's Formation Day will now be celebrated on July 18, and not on November 1. The government stated that November 1, 1956 was the day Madras State was divided on linguistic lines to form Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Madras, while on July 18, 1967, the Madras State was renamed as Tamil Nadu, its true formation day.
"After carefully considering the pleas of various organisations, a Government Order will soon be issued to celebrate July 18, when mother Tamil Nadu was named as Tamil Nadu by Anna as the state's formation day, the CM stated.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Stalin's announcement was met with backlash. The AIADMK alleged that the move had been done due to "political vendetta" given that Edappadi K Palaniswami, as Chief Minister in 2019, had announced the celebration of Tamil Nadu Day on November 1.
(With Agency Inputs)
Published By : Ananya Varma
Published On: 4 November 2021 at 18:03 IST