Chennai: Faced by opposition parties’ criticism that the ruling AIADMK is ‘shielding’ BJP leader H. Raja, the government on Sunday insisted that law would take its own course.
Co-operation Minister Sellur K. Raju said in Madurai that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had already made it clear that law would take its own course. And this has resulted in the arrest of Karunas (MLA). “This would also apply to H. Raja,” he told reporters.
Contending that the government ensured freedom of speech in Tamil Nadu, State Revenue Minister R. B. Udayakumar said law would do its duty if anyone flouted rules.
“Cases have already been filed against H. Raja and the police will take appropriate action, Mr. Udayakumar said. Less than a week ago, Raja was booked for his ‘scandalous’ comments against the Tamil Nadu police and also the Madras High Court ahead of Vinayaka Chathurti procession. Shortly after a video of an angry Raja abusing the police and court went viral, he denied that it was his voice in that video. The voice had been dubbed by someone else, he claimed. H. Raja has been directed to appear in court in four weeks’ time.
On Saturday, the police in Coimbatore booked a case against the BJP national secretary for his ‘illegitimate child’ jibe against DMK MP Kanimozhi that he had tweeted in April this year. When his reaction was sought on H. Raja’s objectionable remarks, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said, “It is not known in which state of mind H. Raja is in. There is no need for me to reply to his comments.”
“Wait and see,” he replied when asked if the AIADMK would go it alone in the Lok Sabha elections next year. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan said, actor-MLA Karunas’ ‘outrageous’ remarks on caste, the Chief Minister and the police “can’t be accepted a wee bit. “Later on when he apologised for what he had said, I thought the issue was over. But as per law, if one’s speech is aimed at inciting violence, then law has to do its duty. Stern action should be taken in his case. He had only expressed regret still the implications of what he said could lead to problems,” Mr. Radhakrishnan added.
