NTK chief Seeman booked for 'provocative' comments on Periyar

Chennai: Known for his penchant for stoking controversies, Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) chief S Seeman now faces about 60 cases filed in the past two days in various parts of the state for his provocative statements on Dravidian legend E V R Periyar. Seeman, who doesn’t subscribe to Dravidian ideology, has found support from an unexpected quarter for his diatribe against Periyar, namely the BJP and right-wing outfits.

Friday also saw the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court taking serious note of the complaints against Seeman and asking the Madurai Police to file a status report on the action taken against him by January 20.

The latest row began after Seeman questioned Periyar’s contribution in ensuring the freedom of women in Tamil Nadu and claimed that the late social reformer had encouraged incestuous relationships, besides making obscene remarks. Notwithstanding intense opposition from several quarters, Seeman continued to make similar statements against Periyar and questioned his contributions in development of the Tamil language and Tamil Nadu.

Groomed by the Dravidian movement, Seeman turned against the Dravidian majors in 2009 after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war which saw the death of the LTTE and its chief V Prabhakaran. Since then, Seeman has been trying to project his Tamil nationalism as the alternative to Dravidian politics that has dominated the state since the 1960s.

Most of the cases filed against Seeman have been booked under sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot- if rioting be committed; if not committed), 353 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). “In total, 60 FIRs have been filed against Seeman across the state,” a source in the government said.

While many Periyar outfits condemned Seeman’s statement, they also received support from DMK ally VCK and other political parties who asked the NTK chief to have control over his tongue.

However, Seeman received support from Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai who said he can provide the evidence for the NTK chief’s speech on Periyar in which he reportedly supported incestuous relationships.

“I have proof. All I have to do is to give a copy of the book in which Periyar had made such statements to the police if they ask me. I don’t think these things should be discussed in public,” Annamalai said.

The comments by Seeman and the BJP coming in his defence prompted many to speculate whether the NTK and the saffron party were coming together for an electoral alliance.

Though the NTK posted its best-ever performance by polling an impressive 8 per cent votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the attrition rate in the party has been growing in the past few months with many district-level functionaries checking out of the party, blaming Seeman’s “style of functioning.”