Udhayanidhi Arrested Over Trisha Remarks

Chennai, August 04, 2026 A political controversy in Tamil Nadu intensified on Tuesday after Police arrested Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin from his Chennai residence over remarks made about actor Trisha. The issue stems from a protest gathering in Thanjavur on Monday, where Stalin criticised Chief Minister Joseph Vijay over the Cauvery water dispute. The speech took a controversial turn after a person in the crowd shouted “Trisha, Trisha”, prompting Stalin to make an offensive double entendre that has since drawn strong political criticism. Udhayanidhi, who was seen smiling while being escorted by the police, described the arrest as a “joke” and said he would “fight it legally”. The DMK criticised the action as political vendetta. DMK leader TKS Elangovan said, “Nothing was said against anyone. Udayanidhi listed out Vijay's failures. There was nothing insulting in speech. He didn't even name Trisha,”. The TVK rejected the allegation, with Americai Narayanan telling NDTV, “Udhayanidhi Stalin has not been arrested for speaking against Chief Minister Vijay or the TVK, but for insulting a woman.” He also said Stalin should change his name to “vulgar-nidhi”. The controversy had already escalated after the TVK approached the National Commission for Women and filed a police complaint seeking action. In its complaint, the party said, “Udhayanidhi Stalin resorted to offensive, double-meaning remarks and vulgar innuendos targeting a prominent female public figure, prompted by an audience chant,” and added, “Such language, delivered from a high-profile political platform, normalises the objectification and verbal harassment of women in public space.” The Tamil Nadu BJP had also demanded Stalin's arrest. BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy called the remarks “disgusting, obscene, vulgar, and shameful” and criticised former Chief Minister M K Stalin for remaining silent. The episode has also brought renewed attention to repeated public comments involving Trisha and Vijay, amid longstanding rumours about their relationship. Earlier this year, BJP leader Nainar Nagendran had remarked that Vijay should “come out of Trisha's house” before entering politics, following which Trisha's legal team responded. The latest incident has therefore expanded beyond a political exchange, raising questions over the limits of public rhetoric and the use of personal references against women in political discourse. The arrest has further sharpened the confrontation between the DMK and TVK, turning an already controversial speech into a major political flashpoint.