CHENNAI: Police arrested Mahavishnu, a self-proclaimed motivational speaker, soon as he arrived at the Chennai international airport from Australia on Saturday. The speaker, founder of Paramporul Foundation, was arrested under the charges of provoking enmity between different groups of people and intentionally insulting a person with disability.
During a programme at the Saidapet government school on August 28, Mahavishnu made controversial remarks about past-life sins and disability.
He allegedly insulted a visually impaired teacher, who questioned the appropriateness of his speech. The video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking a huge outrage from rationalists and disability rights activists.
In a video statement on Friday night, he said he would meet presspersons at the airport regarding the allegations levelled against him. However, he was picked up by the police for questioning before the meeting. Sources said a police team was waiting for him at the airport and questioned him at an undisclosed location.
Based on a complaint from N Vijayaraj, Saidapet police inspector K Settu registered an FIR under sections 192, 196 (1) (a), 352, and 353 (2) of the BNSS as well as section 92 of The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
The complainant said the speaker had insulted a visually impaired teacher and contended that students would lose respect for their teachers if the latter were addressed in such a language in front of them.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the School Management Committee of Ashok Nagar Girls’ Higher Secondary School, M Chitrakala, refuted allegations by the school headmistress and teacher that the speaker was invited by the committee to deliver a motivational talk.
She claimed neither the headmistress nor the teachers informed the committee about such an event. “The school officials, along with an alumni who is part of the SMC, organised the meeting,” she said.
The election for the SMC was conducted only on August 24, she said, and the meeting for the committee itself has not been convened yet. She added that the committee knew about the event only after it became an issue.
Earlier, CM MK Stalin had ordered immediate formulation of guidelines on holding programmes in government schools after the controversial remarks of a ‘spiritual speaker’.
A committee led by school education director would investigate the matter within three to four days, the minister said.
‘REMARKS ON PAST SINS’
During a programme at the Saidapet government school on August 28, Mahavishnu made controversial remarks about past-life sins and disability. He allegedly insulted a visually impaired teacher, who questioned the appropriateness of his speech. The video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking a huge outrage from rationalists and disability rights activists. In a video, he said he would meet press persons at the airport regarding the allegations but was picked up by the police for questioning before the meeting.