Noted historian and author Ramachandra Guha has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin criticising the arrest of writer and publisher Badri Seshadri. Badri was arrested on July 29 from Chennai for a comment he made against the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, in connection with the violence in Manipur. He was arrested on the basis of a complaint from a lawyer named Kaviyarasu from Perambalur.
In his letter, Guha said that he does not endorse Badri Seshadri’s views but his arrest is not in line with “the principles of natural justice.” He said, “I do not endorse Mr Seshadri’s political views, yet his arrest is inconsistent with the principles of natural justice. It brings discredit to your Government and to the culture and history of the Tamil people. Given this rich literary and intellectual history, Tamil Nadu should be the last state in the Indian Union to be held guilty of persecuting writers for their political views.”
The historian further noted that criticising the Supreme Court cannot by itself be the reason for his arrest. He said, “Mr Seshadri is accused of having criticised the Supreme Court of India. In a functioning democracy, such criticisms cannot be by themselves a basis for arrest. If there is a case to be made against him, it should be made in court. A pre-emptive arrest merely on the basis of an FIR [First Information Report] appears to be an act of political vindictiveness.”
Guha also called out the Chief Minister for promoting literature and culture on the one hand and arresting critics of the government on the other. He said, “You have yourself recently inaugurated a library named after Mr Karunanidhi. Earlier in the year your government organised an international book fair in Chennai. Yet your government’s claim to promote literature and culture rings hollow in the light of the arrest of Mr Seshadri. As a writer who has deep personal connections to the state of Tamil Nadu, I appeal to you to release Mr Seshadri immediately.”