Mother Of YouTuber Manish Kashyap Against Whom NSA Was Invoked By Tamil Nadu Writes To President Of India Demanding Equal Treatment For Udhaynidhi Stalin

In the letter, Manish Kashyap’s mother stated that her son had raised the issue of alleged mistreatment faced by some Bihari labourers in Tamil Nadu through his YouTube video. However, Tamil Nadu police claimed that it was false and hateful and filed six different FIRs in addition to slapping the stringent NSA against her son.

Manish Kashyap, a resident of Bihar, was arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police in March for his remarks in the YouTube video. When he challenged the FIRs before the Apex Court, it refused to grant him any interim relief. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal who had then appeared for the Tamil Nadu government had told the Supreme Court that he is supporting the arrest of the journalist because he is against fake news and hate speech. Though the Apex Court initially expressed displeasure over the invocation of NSA against the journalist, the Bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha and Justice J.B. Pardiwala dismissed the plea challenging the invocation of NSA and asked Manish to approach the Madras High Court. 

Manish's mother has mentioned in her letter that in Manish's case, the news that he published had already been published by print media around the same time and that subsequently, the electronic media also picked up the issue with the politicians commenting on the news eventually. Madhu Devi has alleged that the Tamil Nadu and Bihar governments conspired to frame Manish Kashyap.

“My son also made a video on the news of Bihari migrant labourers, but in March, and questioned the Bihar government over why the Bihari labourers are subjected to such discrimination, but the Bihar government and Tamil Nadu government colluded to invoke the stringent NSA,” the letter reads.

Furthermore, the YouTuber’s mother has asked if her son’s video pertaining to the Bihari labourers created a situation of clashes between people of two states, “then how come, Udhaynidhi Stalin, has not been booked under the National Security Act or jailed since being a minister, his remarks against Sanatan Dharma could have sparked clashes across the country.”

Manish Kashyap’s mother demanded that if the Constitution is the same for all then even Udhaynidhi Stalin should be booked under the NSA. Moreover, she demanded that an independent committee formed by the Supreme Court should investigate the video of the migrant Bihari labourers.

Concluding the letter, Madhu Devi has expressed hope that President Droupadi Murmu would ensure justice and that the son of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu would also face the same punishment as any ordinary citizen face for the violation of the law.

“I am not well educated but I am the wife of a soldier and mother of a brave son. I am hopeful that honourable President will do justice with my son and the chief minister’s son will face the same punishment decided by the court as faced by any other citizen of Bharat,” she said in her letter in Hindi.

A plea was filed yesterday before the Apex Court seeking registration of FIR against Stalin and Member of Parliament from DMK and former Union Minister A. Raja who had made similar remarks as Stalin. An FIR has already been registered in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh against Udhayanidhi Stalin and Priyank Kharge, the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for their alleged hate speech against Sanatan Dharma.

Earlier, a letter was addressed to Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud by a group of concerned individuals including the retired Judges of several High Courts and bureaucrats seeking judicial intervention of the Apex Court in the matter of hate speech made by Udhayanidhi Stalin. Various others across the country have approached authorities seeking FIR against Stalin.