MK Stalin Says Jaw Was Broken During Emergency
DMK president M K Stalin has hit back at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay over a controversial Assembly gesture, confirming that his jaw was broken while he was imprisoned during the Emergency and recounting what he described as brutal custodial treatment.
Stalin Recalls Emergency-Era MISA Arrest
In a video statement, Stalin said he was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act after the DMK government led by his father M Karunanidhi was dismissed on January 31, 1976.
Stalin said police initially arrived at the family’s Gopalapuram residence while he was away campaigning. According to his account, Karunanidhi told officers that Stalin would return the following day and subsequently informed police when he arrived.
Stalin said he was then arrested and taken to prison.
MK Stalin Says Jaw Was Broken in Jail
Responding to Vijay’s Assembly gesture involving his jaw, Stalin said the Chief Minister was correct that he had suffered such an injury.
He alleged that prisoners were beaten with lathis and kicked with boots, and said he and nine others were confined in a small room in a section previously used for leprosy patients.
Stalin said his jawbone was broken during the alleged assault and that scars from the beatings remain on his body.
He also recalled the death of DMK leader and former MP Chittibabu, alleging that injuries sustained in custody contributed to his death.
Vijay Had Clarified Assembly Gesture
The controversy began after Vijay touched his jaw while referring to Stalin’s Emergency-era imprisonment during an Assembly speech.
DMK leaders accused Vijay of mocking Stalin’s injuries. Vijay subsequently said the gesture was involuntary and “not in any way intentional”, asking that it not be interpreted as an attempt to personally hurt anyone.
Stalin responded that his imprisonment formed part of the DMK’s political history and said that history could not be changed.
