Chennai: The Madras high court has dismissed a petition seeking direction to the police to detain BJP leader, H. Raja under the Goondas Act for his alleged remarks against Periyar.
Justice M.S. Ramesh, while dismissing the petition filed by Anoor Jagadeesan, President of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kalagam, wondered under what provision such a direction can be issued.
According to the petitioner, H.Raja posted a message on his Facebook page against Periyar. On reading the message, his followers damaged the statue of Periyar in many places, triggering violence in the state.
Condemning the same, the party functionaries of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kalagam, DMK, MDMK, PMK and VCK staged demonstrations.
Youth hurled stones at the BJP party office in Coimbatore. In some places, they also indulged in cutting the sacred thread worn by Brahmins to which H. Raja belongs.
The act of Raja was prejudicial to maintenance of public order. Therefore, Raja should be detained under the Goondas Act, the petitioner said.
When the petition came up for hearing on Thursday, additionalg overnment pleader, D. Raja submitted that H. Raja has already tendered an apology to the public for the Facebook post and there was no violent activities in the state.
Pointing out the petitioner had given his representation to the Commissioner of Police only on March 8 the judge said that even without giving sufficient time to the police to consider his representation, the petitioner had approached the Court.
If there was inordinate delay, the petitioner was at liberty to approach the court in accordance with law, the judge added.
