In a significant ruling, the Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition by Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) chief S Seeman, who sought exemption from appearing in person in a 2019 hate speech case. The case stems from remarks made by Seeman against former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, which a Congress party functionary challenged as slanderous and disruptive.
Justice P Velmurugan presided over the case and emphasized the importance of responsible speech under the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression (Article 19). He remarked that politicians must exercise restraint and avoid making statements that could provoke or annoy others.
The controversy began during a campaign for the Vikravandi bypolls in Tamil Nadu, where Seeman allegedly described Rajiv Gandhi as a “betrayer” of the Tamil people. This led to his facing charges in a trial court in Vikravandi. Despite his efforts to be discharged from the case and to avoid court appearances, the judge mandated his presence, underscoring that no one, regardless of their position, could evade the judicial process.
Seeman’s political career has been marred by numerous instances of hate speech. Recently, he faced additional legal troubles for allegedly disparaging remarks about EV Ramasamy, also known as Periyar, a revered figure in the Dravidian movement.
The NTK, founded by Seeman in 2010 following the defeat of the LTTE in Sri Lanka, promotes the idea of an independent state for Lankan Tamils and asserts Tamil majoritarianism and linguistic pride. Although positioned as an alternative to traditional Dravidian parties, NTK secured a 6.7% vote share in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and increased its share to 8% in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, reflecting its growing influence in regional politics.
