Leaders flay H Raja over ‘unparliamentary’ remarks

DMK organising secretary RS Bharati, who took to Twitter to hit out at the BJP leader, said: “H Raja has used indecent language against police officers and insulted the High Court. His cheap rhetoric has been unearthed with video evidence. The state government should initiate stringent legal action against Raja for trying to disturb peace and incite violence in Tamil Nadu.”

State Congress president Su Thirunavukkarasar condemned Raja but refrained from demanding the intemperate leader’s arrest. “He is in the habit of using derogatory language against other party leaders for cheap publicity. 

People are laughing at his cheap publicity. He has exceeded all limits this time by using unparliamentary language against the court. Someone may move the court on the issue. I am not for imprisoning him, but he should mend his ways. He should reform.”

VCK leader Thol Tirumavalavan joined the issue and urged the ruling AIADMK to initiate action against H Raja for making indecent remarks against government officials and the court in public.

Naam Tamizhar Katchi coordinator Seeman said the behaviour stems from the confidence that anything could be done after coming to power. “How will people have faith in democracy if law is subservient to the powers that be?” he wondered.

R Mutharasan, State Secretary, CPI, condemned the comments of Raja and questioned why he has not  been arrested for it when Sophia, a research scholar from Thoothukudi, was arrested for raising slogans against the BJP.

Actor Siddharth, who has been a vocal critic of the BJP regime tweeted: “If #TNPolice which shot and killed protestors simply watches this rabid idiot @HRajaBJP as he abuses the High Court, police, minorities and most ironically Hinduism, then it shows what they stand for! This #HindutvaTerrorist should be shown the law and the constitution. #Shame.”

Meanwhile, H Raja on Sunday said that his comments on the judiciary and police department were edited and he did not utter them.

“I am the only person to respect the judiciary. I do not have any issue with the High Court. In fact, in the last few months, I have been staging fast to implement High Court order directed at Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department,” said Raja, at a public meeting at Thiruvarur on Sunday.

“I argued with police for not allowing the procession of Vinayagar idols through the streets where Hindus live in large numbers and the video arguing with the policemen was edited,” claimed Raja. He also said people who are pro-Hindus are attacked. “The images of people who are fighting for the rights of Hindus are tarnished,” he said.