Raja’s comments on nation, Ram stoke fresh controversy

CHENNAI: Stoking a fresh controversy that is sure to put the DMK allies from northern states on the back foot, a video of senior leader and Lok Sabha member A Raja purportedly showing him making remarks that India has never been a nation but a subcontinent with diverse practices and cultures, and allegedly making remarks against Ramayana and Lord Ram surfaced on Tuesday.

While the BJP termed the remarks as ‘Balkanisation’ of the country and ‘Maoist ideology’, and demanded Raja’s arrest, DMK’s ally Congress, too, slammed him to the purported remarks and said that one should exercise restraint while speaking.

In the video where he is seen addressing a party-organised meeting, Raja purportedly said, “India is not (one) nation. Understand this well. India has never been one nation. One nation denotes one language, one tradition and one culture and only such characteristics make one nation.”

Noting how Tamil, Malayalam, Odisha, etc. were different language, he said all such “national races” constitute India. “So, India is not a country, it is a subcontinent that has various practices, traditions and cultures,” he said.

“Every culture has to be recognised. If a community eats beef, recognise it, what is your problem? Did they ask you to eat? So, (that is) unity in diversity,” he said.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that Raja also spoke against Hindu faith by saying “if this is your Jai Shri Ram, if this is your Bharat Mata Ki Jai, we will never accept that Jai Shri Ram and Bharat Mata. Tamil don’t accept. You go and tell (that) we are enemies of Ram”.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Prasad said this was “Maoist ideology”. “Please do not insult Hindu sentiment in such a way, do not embarrass Hindu faith like this,” Prasad said.