Catholic Priest Arrested for 'Hate Speech' Against Modi, Shah in Madurai

The Quint

July 24, 2021 at 11:29 p.m.·1 min read

A Catholic priest was arrested in Kallikudi, Madurai on Saturday, 24 July for allegedly making 'hate speech' against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and DMK Minister, reported ANI.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Tamil Nadu called for the priest's arrest under the National Security Act (NSA). The accused, Panavilai parish priest Father George Ponnaiah had a case filed against him on Friday, 23 July in Kanyakumari.

A protest demanding the priest's arrest will be held later this week, on 28 July.

After the priest spoke at an event organised at Arumana on 18 July, clips of his speech were widely circulated. In the videos, Ponnaiah allegedly accused BJP MLA MR Gandhi of being the main culprit in the 1982 Mandaikadu communal riots. He has now been booked under various sections of the IPC.

(With inputs from ANI.)

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