'Against freedom of speech and democracy': Opposition leaders back Lois Sofia in face-off with Tamilisai Soundararajan

Leaders and spokespersons of regional and national parties condemned the Tamil Nadu government for the arrest of Lois Sofia for raising ‘anti-BJP’ slogans at the Tuticorin airport in front of state BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan.

According to a report in India Today, DMK president MK Stalin slammed the Tamil Nadu government and called Sofia’s arrest an act against freedom of speech and democracy: “The anti-democratic actions of the Tamil Nadu government that is against the right to free speech are highly condemnable. She must be released immediately. If you would arrest everyone who says that, how many lakhs of people would you imprison? I will also say it. ‘BJP’s fascist government down, down.’”

Kamal Haasan, who founded the Makkal Needhi Maiam party in February, also chastised the Tamil Nadu government and his fellow politicos for double standards.

Taking to Twitter, the actor turned politician said, “If sloganeering and criticising in public places is a a crime, then politicians are criminals too. Why are politicians roaming free? I realise that I too am a politician when I say this.”

Congress national spokesperson Manish Tewari tweeted:

Lois Sofia hit a very raw nerve when she called a spade a spade.The TN BJP President reacted to dissent just as Fascists do by imprisoning those who oppose them.Groundswell of dissent becoming A roar.Condemn her arrest & demand her unconditional release🛑. https://t.co/Utm8KqYACp

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) September 4, 2018

Sanjay Jha, also of the Congress tweeted:

#Sophia versus #Modi. It is symbolic of why the ordinary citizens of India need to rise to fight against unalloyed fascism of the current government.

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) September 4, 2018

The official #Emergency lasted 21 months. The unofficial Emergency is already 51 months old. And growing. #Sophia

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) September 4, 2018

Sofia who has been an active left-wing voice on social media, was  granted bail Tuesday . She is a doctoral student of Physics at the University of Montreal in Canada, covered the recent Sterlite issue and the protests against Chennai-Salem eight-lane highway project extensively, as a writer.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP president, Tamilisai Soundararajan, in whose presence Sofia had raised the slogans, clarified her stand in front of the media earlier on Tuesday. Justifying her action to file a complaint against the girl, Tamilisai said people need to look into Sofia’s background. “Everyone needs to understand her background as well. I did not do any wrong. I did not speak in the flight, I only filed a complaint once I reached the airport,” she said.