Stalin demands apology from T.N. CM Vijay for MIDS professor’s detention; TVK denies ‘political vendetta’ claim

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Updated - October 29, 2026 04:59 pm IST - CHENNAI

M.K. Stalin. File | Photo Credit: S. Siva Saravanan

DMK president M.K. Stalin on Thursday (October 29, 2026) condemned the brief detention of Kalaiyarasan, an associate professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), on Wednesday (October 28). Mr. Stalin claimed the academic was detained for highlighting the unprecedented price rise, describing it as the height of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) “fascist attitude”.

He said Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and the police department must apologise for the “arrest” of a renowned academic on false charges.

In a statement, Mr. Stalin said he was shocked by the “illegal arrest” of Prof. Kalaiyarasan by plain-clothes police personnel, who took him away in a rented vehicle. “He is not an ordinary person, nor does he have a criminal background,” he said.

Mr. Stalin said Prof. Kalaiyarasan was a professor at one of Tamil Nadu’s foremost research institutions and had obtained his PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University. “He is one of the authors of The Dravidian Model, published by Cambridge University Press. He was a member of the Central Planning Commission and played a major role in preparing an economic research paper for the Tamil Nadu government. He is still a member of the Department of Environment and Climate Change, headed by the Chief Minister,” he said.

Mr. Stalin said it was unacceptable to dismiss the incident as a case of mistaken arrest. Prof. Kalaiyarasan had been “arrested” for an offence he had not committed, denied his rights and had his mobile phone seized by the police, he alleged.

“What a shame that the government allows criminals to roam free while trying to intimidate an educationist,” he said.

Questioning the grounds for the “arrest”, Mr. Stalin asked whether Prof. Kalaiyarasan had been targeted for highlighting the achievements of the ‘Dravidian Model’ government and exposing the unprecedented price rise under the TVK regime.

“Of course, there is no place for education in the TVK, which is dominated by ignorants. But we never thought that it had such an aversion to knowledge that it would arrest an educationist. The TVK will surpass the BJP in its fascist tendencies. Was the arrest made with the approval of the Chief Minister and officials?” he asked.

The ruling TVK, however, denied any political vendetta in the police inquiry involving the MIDS professor, and said it was not related to his remarks on rising rice prices.

In a post on X, TVK spokesperson Vivek Gananathan condemned the use of Mr. Kalaiyarasan’s photograph on a fake social media account to post obscene comments.

Mr. Gananathan said Mr. Kalaiyarasan had informed him over the phone on October 28 early morning that the police had arrived to question him in connection with the obscene comments posted through the fake account.

Mr. Gananathan said he had explained to the police personnel that he had known Mr. Kalaiyarasan for 10 years and had outlined the academic’s contributions.

“The police personnel subsequently stopped their attempt to take Mr. Kalaiyarasan to the police station. However, he was left waiting on the road leading to what he termed as embarrassing situation as the police inspector did not answer calls seeking to provide further information,” Mr. Gananathan claimed.

He said he had informed School Education Minister Rajmohan about the incident and claimed the Minister had expressed regret to Mr. Kalaiyarasan.

Mr. Gananathan said there was no truth in claims that Mr. Kalaiyarasan was questioned for speaking about rising prices and that the government had sought to intimidate him.

Published - October 29, 2026 11:51 am IST

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