Booked For Hate Speech, Former AIADMK Minister Nainar Nagendran Is BJP’s Candidate From Tirunelveli (image-X/NainarBJP)
Nainar Nagendran, the BJP’s nominated candidate, from Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency, recently found himself in hot waters after election officials seized cash worth Rs 3.98 crore from three passengers travelling in the Nellai Express. According to The Hindu, one of the accused claimed that the single largest seizure of unaccounted cash in the state after the Model Code of Conduct was enforced was meant for distribution to voters in the Tirunelveli constituency under the instructions of Mr. Nagendran.
While the sitting MLA denied the allegations and blamed the ruling DMK for maligning him, the DMK demanded election officials search properties belonging to the BJP leader and other BJP candidates in the state.
Mr. Nagendran, one of the many at the time, joined the BJP after leaving AIADMK in 2017. He was immediately appointed as the party’s state vice president. The two-time MLA from Tirunelveli claimed that the death of the state’s former Chief Minister, Jayalalitha, and the subsequent lack of direction of the party led to his decision to leave. In 2021, he won the state assembly elections from Tirunelveli on the BJP ticket this time.
The former AIADMK minister has often found himself in cases of hate speech ever since he joined hands with the saffron party. In January 2018, six people, including Mr. Nagendran, were booked for hate speech during a protest meeting in Palayamkottai to condemn poet and lyricist Vairamuthu’s alleged reference to Andal, a Hindu deity, as a ‘devadasi’ in an essay. “We should not hesitate to kill anyone who speaks ill of the Hindu religion. Shall we kill Vairamuthu or not?” he stated, as quoted by DNA India.
Mr. Nagendran sent death threats to the poet, declaring that the BJP leaders would award Rs 10 crore to anyone who chopped the tongue of the writer. The party’s Tamil Nadu unit vice president added that no one should hesitate to kill those who spoke ill of Hinduism. Mr. Nagendran and Hindu Munnani state vice president VP Jayabalan were arrested for their hate speech intended to stir communal division.
All the way back in 2006, a chargesheet had been filed against Mr. Nagendran, his wife, and his relatives in a Rs 3.9 crore disproportionate assets case by the Directorate of Vigilance.
The upcoming Lok Sabha elections will witness AIADMK’s Jansi Rani, Congress’ Dr. C. Robert Bruce, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate P. Sathya, and BJP’s Nainar Nagendran. The 2019 elections witnessed an intense electoral battle, with DMK’s Gnanathiraviam S emerging victorious and securing 5.2 lakh votes. AIADMK candidate Paul Manoj Pandian only secured 3.3 lakh votes.
PM Modi is set to visit Tirunelveli on April 15 for canvassing purposes for the BJP candidate.
The Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency comprises Vidhan Sabhas, including Alangulam, Ambasamudram, Palayamkottai, Nanguneri, and Radhapuram.
