Being asked to prove I was arrested under MISA is humiliating: DMK chief

Stalin says discussions on the topic are unnecessary

Noting that rumours regarding his arrest under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency were doing the rounds, DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Sunday said discussions on the topic were ‘unnecessary’.

“One of the major discussions in Tamil Nadu today is MISA. Rumours are being spread, raising doubts about my arrest under MISA. We have lost sense of what should [be] debated in this country. Is whether I was jailed a topic of debate? Asking whether I was arrested under MISA is as foolish as asking whether I belong to the DMK,” Mr. Stalin said. “I feel humiliated to be asked to prove that I was arrested under MISA. Not just I, [but] several other leaders and thousands [of people] went to prison under MISA in the country,” he added.

Mr. Stalin was addressing a meeting after releasing an autobiography of former Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugham, titled

Dravida Iyakathil En Payanam . Besides recollecting Arumugham’s contributions to the party, Mr. Stalin reminisced about his interactions with the former Minister.

Noting that many were accusing the DMK of perpetuating dynastic politics, he said, “Those naive political persons should read this book. Family politics means the whole family has worked hard for the growth and development of this party.”