In Tamil Nadu, an 81-year-old man and his brother, both fortune tellers by the roadside, were arrested after they predicted that the PMK candidate would win in the Lok Sabha election on April 19. They used a parakeet to help with their predictions but got into trouble for keeping parakeets in cages. Even though they were arrested, they were released later, and four of their parakeets were set free, said a forest department official on Wednesday.

This trouble started when the older man's parrot predicted that Thankar Bachan, a candidate from the PMK, would win in the upcoming election. This prediction led to his arrest on Tuesday. Selvaraj, the fortune teller, and his parrot are well-known in the district for telling fortunes.

Parakeet fortune telling is a common practice in Tamil Nadu. In this practice, trained birds pick a card that tells the future. The parakeet picks one card from a set that has pictures of gods and goddesses. After choosing the card, the parakeet is given a grain of paddy or a piece of fruit as a reward, and then it is put back into its cage.

The reason for Selvaraj’s arrest was because he kept the parrot, which is protected under the law. The parrot is listed as a Schedule II species under the Wildlife (Protection Act) of 1972, and keeping it in captivity is illegal. Forest Ranger J Ramesh explained that holding such birds is not only against the law but also a crime against nature.

The arrest of two elderly fortune tellers in Tamil Nadu has sparked controversy, with PMK candidate Thankar Bachan labeling the action by the DMK-governed state as the "height of fascism." Bachan's criticism comes after a dramatic turn of events that began with a simple consultation for insight into his political future.

According to reports, on Sunday, Bachan visited Selvaraj, a renowned local fortune teller, to inquire about his chances in the upcoming elections for the Cuddalore Lok Sabha seat. During the consultation, Selvaraj used his parrot to help predict Bachan's electoral fate. The bird chose a card bearing the image of Lord Azhagmuthu Iyyanar, which Selvaraj interpreted as an indication of Bachan's impending victory.

Inspired by the parrot's selection, Bachan subsequently visited a temple to seek blessings from Lord Iyyanar, the deity depicted on the selected card and the presiding figure of worship in the nearby temple area.

Further illuminating the situation, it was revealed that on April 7, during a campaign tour, Bachan had consulted not just one, but two astrologers—brothers known for their use of parakeets in fortune telling. These astrologers employed one of their four parakeets to select a fortune card. Upon the parakeet's selection, the astrologers predicted that Bachan would be victorious in the upcoming electoral contest.

This series of events has heightened tensions and drawn significant attention, emphasizing the complex interplay between local customs, political campaigns, and regulatory actions. The use of astrology and parakeets in political predictions is a deeply entrenched local practice, yet it has led to unforeseen legal and political repercussions for those involved.

Viral Video of PMK Candidate's Astrological Consultation Sparks Political Uproar

A recent video of Thankar Bachan, the PMK candidate, consulting an astrologer has gone viral on social media and stirred significant controversy. In the video, Bachan can be seen interacting with the astrologer, specifically requesting him to feed a particular bird, and offering it a banana following the session. This footage caught the eye of forest department officials, prompting them to initiate an urgent search to locate and arrest the brothers for illegally keeping caged birds.

The widespread sharing of this video has ignited a political firestorm, with the PMK harshly criticizing the current DMK-led state government, labeling it "fascist." This arrest has sparked a broader discussion about the treatment of local fortune tellers who use parrots in their practice, a common sight across Tamil Nadu.

Adding to the intensity of the debate, PMK president and Rajya Sabha MP, Anbumani Ramadoss, voiced a strong condemnation of the DMK administration's actions. In a statement posted on X, he criticized the government for targeting a "poor fortune teller," highlighting the inconsistency in the enforcement of wildlife laws. Anbumani pointed out, "The government has said that it is a crime to keep a parrot in a cage and that is why the soothsayer Selvaraj has been arrested. All over Tamil Nadu, lakhs of parrot astrologers keep parrots in cages for fortune-telling. The now-arrested astrologer has been doing soothsaying at the same place for many years. He was not arrested then. Will M.K.Stalin become the Chief Minister?" His statement reflects the perceived selective justice and the political implications of such legal actions.

On Tuesday, a significant development occurred near the Azhagu Muthu Ayyanar temple at Thennampakkam, close to Cuddalore, where the forest department apprehended two astrologer brothers, Selvaraj and Srinivasan. These arrests followed their consultation with PMK candidate Thankar Bachan, which had previously been captured in a widely circulated video. A senior official reported that during the operation, four parakeets, kept in two cages, were seized under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act and subsequently released into the forest.

The brothers were not held for long; they were released after receiving a stern warning from the authorities. During their consultation session with Bachan, the astrologers had allowed one of their parakeets to choose a card. Significantly, the bird picked a card depicting the presiding deity of the Azhagu Muthu Ayyanar temple, which the fortune teller interpreted as a favorable omen indicating Bachan’s potential victory in the elections.

This scene, captured in the viral video, shows supporters of Bachan reacting with loud cheers to the prediction of his victory, underscoring the emotional and spirited atmosphere of the event. The arrest of these fortune tellers has drawn sharp criticism from PMK leader Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, who described the arrests as unjust and condemned the treatment of the astrologers. He highlighted the traditional role of parakeets in local fortune-telling practices, criticizing the actions taken against the astrologers as particularly harsh given their prediction of a PMK win.

Dr. Ramadoss expressed strong disapproval of the government’s actions, warning, "People will teach a lesson to the DMK government for taking action on the fortune tellers who predicted Bachan's victory." He questioned the impartiality of the law enforcement, suggesting that the outcome might have been different had the astrologers predicted a victory for the DMK instead. This incident not only raises questions about cultural practices and legal enforcement but also suggests a tense political atmosphere influenced by predictions and their perceived implications.

These arrest in Cuddalore has stirred considerable debate and backlash, particularly from political figures. Cuddalore district forest ranger J Ramesh explained to The Times of India that parrots, like the ones involved in this incident, are listed as Schedule II species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, making their captivity illegal. Following their brief detention, the astrologer brothers were released with a warning, and their four parrots were confiscated.

Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, the President of PMK and a Rajya Sabha MP, vocally criticized the Tamil Nadu government’s actions on social media platform X. He described the arrest of Selvaraj at Kili Soth near Aakumuthu Ayyanar Temple in Tennampakkam as a "retaliatory action" by the DMK government. According to Ramadoss, this arrest was motivated by the government’s inability to accept the prediction made by the astrologers that Thangarbachan, contesting in the Cuddalore constituency for the Patali People’s Party, would win. He labeled the government's response as the "height of fascism" and reprehensible.

Dr. Ramadoss further questioned the DMK government's tolerance levels, rhetorically asking whether the government would arrest the parrot astrologer for his prediction, or possibly detain thousands of Cuddalore constituents for voting for Thangarbachan. He argued that the government's actions reveal a fear of electoral defeat and accused the DMK of engaging in actions contradictory to its professed rationalist principles. His statements highlighted a deep frustration with what he perceives as the government's overreaction and irrationality, suggesting that such behavior reflects poorly on a party that claims to reject superstition.

Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has escalated his critique of the Tamil Nadu government's recent actions, specifically targeting the arrest of the parrot astrologer, Selvaraj, who had been conducting fortune-telling at the same location for many years without issue. In a poignant message on social media, Dr. Ramadoss emphasized the inconsistency of the law's application, stating, "The government has said that it is a crime to keep a parrot in a cage and that is why the soothsayer Selvaraj has been arrested. All over Tamil Nadu, lakhs of parrot astrologers keep parrots in cages for fortune-telling. The now arrested astrologer has been doing soothsaying at the same place for many years. He was not arrested then. Will M.K.Stalin become the Chief Minister? His wife would have asked Kili Soth from hundreds of soothsayers. None of the parrot soothsayers were arrested. But now if the soothsayer is arrested after telling the fortune to Thangarbachan, the reason is easily understood," emphasizing the perceived political motives behind the arrest.

Furthering his argument, Dr. Ramadoss condemned the broader environmental and ethical negligence he attributes to the DMK government, remarking on the destruction of natural resources and wildlife in the state. "Lakhs of trees and thousands of animals are being destroyed in the forests of Tamil Nadu. The DMK government, which is watching all this with amusement, has shown its bravery by arresting a poor parrot soothsayer. It has put soil in the survival of that astrologer. The people of Tamil Nadu will teach those who are responsible for this a lesson in the upcoming elections," he wrote. Through these statements, Dr. Ramadoss is calling out what he sees as hypocrisy and injustice, setting a stark contrast between the government's stringent actions against a single fortune teller and its broader inaction on environmental and wildlife conservation issues. His comments are a rallying cry for public action in the face of what he perceives as governmental overreach and misprioritization.