‘As public figure, you must face criticism’

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court came down heavily on Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday for filing scores of defamation cases against activists and political opponents, saying the AIADMK chief was using the law to settle personal scores.

The top court observed Tamil Nadu was the only state that used the government machinery to fight defamation cases after a petition alleged the Jayalalithaa administration was misusing the law.

“You can’t slap defamation cases on people for reporting on the chief minister’s health condition,” the apex court said. “As a public figure, you (Jayalalithaa) must face criticism. You fight on a personal level.”

In the last five years, Tamil Nadu has filed 213 defamation cases against political opponents and media houses for “derogatory statements” against Jayalalithaa. Reporting on the CM’s vacations, criticising her government for water scarcity or not fulfilling poll promises have all been termed derogatory.

This is the second time in two months that the SC has criticised the state government for the flurry of defamation cases. In July, the SC observed that such defamation cases caused a “chilling effect” on free speech and advocated tolerance.

Opponents accuse Jayalalithaa of silencing critics and harassing them through such cases as an accused is expected to be present at every hearing. Arrest orders can be issued for missing a court date.

Opposition parties in the state welcomed the direction. DMK spokesperson A Sarvanan said the reprimand was vindication of the party’s stand that the AIADMK was using defamation cases as a tool to suppress opposition and freedom of speech. It is in the fitness of things that the apex court has observed that it was not proper for the TN government to use the state machinery to stifle opposition by filing defamation cases, Sarvanan said, reflecting the viewpoint of all the opposition parties in the state. “We need to decriminalise defamation cases,” he said.

Congress leader Khushboo hoped that the SC admonition would make Jayalalithaa mend her ways and stop bulldozing her opposition.