M. K. Stalin condemns detention of economist A. Kalaiyarasan

DMK president M. K. Stalin has demanded an unconditional apology from Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and the Tamil Nadu police following the brief detention of economist A. Kalaiyarasan. Kalaiyarasan, an associate professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies, was taken from his Chennai residence early Wednesday morning by plainclothes officers in a rented vehicle.

The detention was linked to an abusive Instagram comment targeting Pallavaram TVK MLA J. Kamatchi. Police investigation revealed that the comment was made by a fake account using Kalaiyarasan’s name and photograph, but the economist had no connection to the account. He was released approximately three hours later after police established his non-involvement.

Kalaiyarasan reported feeling harassed and humiliated, noting that officers did not provide documentation or allow him to inform his family before his removal. Stalin criticized the incident as the “peak of fascism,” alleging that the administration was attempting to intimidate an academic known for criticizing rising prices.