In 2020 Veteran Congress Leader Nellai Kannan Called For Assassination Of PM Modi, In 2021 He Is Bestowed With Kamarajar Award In Presence Of TN CM Stalin

Nellai Kannan, a veteran Congress leader and noted Tamil orator, was awarded the Kamarajar Kathir Award 20121 in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K Stalin at a ceremony held in Chennai on Friday (Dec 24).

Kannan was presented the award by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan.

CM Stalin, the chief guest for the function, was also presented with the Ambedkar Sudar Award 2021.

Kannan expressed gratitude to VCK leader and TN CM Stalin for recognising his 'contribution' to the Tamil Society.

Kannan is a notorious rabble-rouser with a long history of delivering hate speeches against political opponents and specific communities.

In Jan 2020, the Congress leader was arrested by the Tamil Nadu police after he called for the assassination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Delivering a speech at a gathering of Muslims, he asked them, "Why Muslims have not yet killed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,".

Kannan made these remarks while addressing an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rally organised by radical Islamist outfit Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in Tirunelveli. The hundreds of Muslims who had gathered for the protest lustily cheered his statement.

Kannan also went on to say, "If his (Amit Shah's) story is finished then the story of the PM would also be over. I was expecting something to happen, but no Muslim is doing it."

This incendiary remark made at the SDPI rally drew widespread condemnation. Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary K S Narendran filed a complaint against Nellai Kannan for attempting to incite violence with his indirect call to 'murder Amit Shah'.

Kannan was arrested and lodged in Central Prison in Salem. He was granted bail within a week.

Kannan has been associated with the Congress party for several decades. He contested twice as a Congress candidate in assembly polls but lost. In 1989, Congress fielded him as a candidate from the Tirunelveli assembly constituency but was defeated by senior DMK leader A L Subramanian. Kannan briefly supported and campaigned for ADMK in the 2006 assembly election as he was denied a seat by Congress.