A court in Chennai on Friday sentenced Tamil Nadu politician V Gopalaswamy, popularly known as Vaiko, to a one-year jail sentence for sedition. Vaiko, who heads the political party MDMK, was punished for his comments made in 2009 during his book release function. But the sentencing of the one-year the prison term has prompted Twitterati to detect a glaring irony.
The court has, however, stayed the execution of sentencing for a month on Vaiko’s application.
While releasing his book Naan Kuttram Saatugiren in 2009, Vaiko had said that India will not remain ‘one country if the war against the LTTE in Sri Lanka is not stopped.’ The government that slapped a sedition case against him was run by DMK, Vaiko’s ally now. The sentencing has also come at a time when the DMK has nominated him for the Rajya Sabha despite MDMK having no legislators.
Many journalists and eagle-eyed Twitterati were quick to highlight this irony.
#DMK ally #MDMK Chief #Vaiko found guilty for Sedition in connection with a 2009 case slapped against him by #DMK Government. This comes at a time when #DMK has nominated Vaiko for Rajya Sabha. #Vaiko who can’t even be angry with #DMK now, says it’s a happy day. pic.twitter.com/Uw7jFwfdDS
— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) July 5, 2019
Irony of ironies. Sedition case was filed against Vaiko by then CM and DMK Chief M.Karunanidhi. So Stalin now can’t even speak against the Judgment. Two days ago DMK gave Vaiko a ticket to the Rajya Sabha. Let us see how this plays out. #Vaiko https://t.co/AFp26kGklq
— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) July 5, 2019
Finally justice served …haha this case against MDMK #Vaiko was filed in 2009 by their alliance partner #DMK ?https://t.co/YvvcfJjCX1
— ?️Eshanputra?? (@Eshanputra_Om) July 5, 2019
Case filed by #DMK, RS seat offered by #DMK ??? Will #Vaiko can contest in RS Elections??? #Vaiko
— Ganesan Pillai (@Ganesanspillai) July 5, 2019
DMK goes about preaching liberalism while using sedition acts against an ally turned enemy turned ally turned what we will know in sometime… #DmkBusted #Vaiko https://t.co/41K2GepDq5
— praveen sridhar (@pravieen) July 5, 2019
Experts say that the one-year jail sentencing of Vaiko will not stop his election to the Rajya Sabha.