DMK files complaint against Hindu YouTuber Maridhas: #ISupportMaridas trends with 1 lakh plus tweets

Madurai-based professor and Hindu YouTuber Maridhas found swelling online support on Wednesday with #ISupportMaridas trending on Twitter after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) filed a complaint against him.

Maridhas, who has written a book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, runs his own YouTube channel Maridhas Answers, in which he has been speaking out against the opposition party in Tamil Nadu. Irked by his posts, the DMK registered a complaint with the city police commissioner against Maridhas for publishing offensive content against its leader MK Stalin.

In its complaint, the DMK stated: "Mr Maridhas has published a series of statements through a video on his YouTube channel, on 18 August 2019, titled "தி.மு.க. தடை செய்யப்பட வேண்டுமா?" Should the DMK be banned?" link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJGdbc3Bofw which are entirely baseless, false and intended to create public mischief..."

The DMK added: "Maridhas primarily intends to disturb public tranquillity and promote enmity and incite hatred between religious groups, namely Muslims and non-Muslims. Mr Maridhas uses the recent policy statements issued by the DMK to buttress his efforts to ultimately create public mischief against Muslims, who are a minority in India..."

Its complaint further claims that MK Stalin issued a statement on August 5 pointing out that the manner of abrogation of Article 370 was anti-democratic, unconstitutional and against federal principles. It is the stand of the DMK, which is being willfully misconstrued by Maridhas, as support for terrorists. He is "portraying Muslims in Kashmir as terrorists and, thereby, creating ill-will against that group of people."

The DMK also claimed that the professor was running a website that lured innocent persons to donate money that in turn was being used to commit crimes and offences. Soon after, campaigns in favour of and against the young professor who recently published a book, titled 'Naan en modi ah aadarikkiren' (Why I am supporting Modi), have been initiated on social media.

The DMK has sparked a big debate on social media with two hashtags -- #IsupportMaridhas and #MentalMaridhas -- on Twitter. While the leftists and the DMK supporters blasted Maridhas, by using #MentalMaridhas, the BJP followers and right-wing activists are extending their support to him, seeking protection for him under the hashtags #IsupportMaridhas, which is trending bigger than the other one. The latter saw more than one lakh posts ever since the complaint against him was lodged. 

Here are some of the tweets with the hashtag #IsupportMaridhas

Kannu Bau @KaranBa88343522

A few hours ago, I didn't know who was Maridhas. But now seeing a massively successful trend by Tamil Nadu Hindus, #ISupportMaridass , which already has 1,11,000 tweets, I figured out he must be a PM Modi supporter. Great to see Tamil Hindus standing against DMK's intimidation!

Jodeboss @Jodeboss2

The author of the book written in Tamil "Why I Support Modi". The DMK goons are habitual eliminators of those who oppose them. DMK pro-Islamic, pro-christian and anti-hindu. #isupportmaridass

Lakshmi Thiyagu @Lakshmi0502

DMK is a party that goes to any extent to safegaurd itself........I wish Maridass gets better protection. #isupportmaridass

Dinakaran @dinakaran

Maridhas needs security cover. #ISupportMaridhas #isupportmaridass

Vishnu Vijay @svishnuvijayece

#isupportmaridass this is the actual hashtag. support the real Hindu Tamil leader Maridass. DMK and Christian periyar lobby going to end its rule.

KC @ChawlaKaran87

The power of Hinduism is this. When One Hindu man rattles entire DMK party and that is why #isupportmaridass

MUTHU KIRAN N @MUTHUKIRANN1

#isupportmaridass We are with you maridass Your true Nationalist Bharat matha ki jai

R Jagannathan @TheJaggi

These parties shed crocodile tears over free speech in Kashmir. But DMK's Attempt To Muzzle Activist Maridhas Is Deeply Troubling. It Has A Long History Of Intimidating Its Media Critics

Debarup Deshmukh @DebarupDeshmukh

Maridhas from Tamil Nadu is one man army against anti nationals and fighting hard for safeguarding sovereignty of India on Kashmir We will be failing in our nationalistic duty if we dont support MARIDHAS at this juncture Come on India , he needs you now #isupportmaridass