New Delhi: BJP national secretary H. Raja was booked under nine sections of the Indian Penal Code on Sunday after a video surfaced of him allegedly making contemptuous remarks against the Tamil Nadu police and the Madras high court. According to The Hindu, the Pudukottai police booked seven others, including functionaries of the BJP and the Hindu Munnani.
The sections include those relating to promoting enmity on grounds of religion, unlawful assembly, public nuisance, use of obscene words, preventing a public servant from discharging his duty and criminal intimidation.
In the video – which surfaced on Saturday and which has since gone viral on social media – a visibly angry Raja is seen yelling abuses at two policemen. The incident occurred on Saturday in Pudukottai district of the state.
According to The News Minute, trouble began when citing a court order of Madras high court, police denied the BJP leader and his supporters permission take out the Vinayaka Chaturthi procession through a communally sensitive area. Raja, however, refused to accept the police contention and spoke against the order.
In the video, an irate Raja is reportedly seen calling the police force “anti-Hindu” and “highly corrupt.” He then goes on to insult the Madras high court and demand that a stage be constructed for him to talk.
The BJP leader further went on to allege that police in the state was receiving bribes from the Christian missionaries and questioned if they were not ashamed of themselves when the CBI raided DGP T.K. Rajendran’s house (in relation to the Guthka scam).
Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam demanded strict action against the BJP leader while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government slammed Raja’s remarks.
Raja, meanwhile, addressing an event in Tiruvarur district yesterday, claimed that his remarks were “selectively edited” and the voice was not his. According to The Hindu, the BJP leader said that he always respected the judiciary and that a false propaganda was being carried out against him.
The BJP leader has been embroiled in several controversies in the past over his remarks on various issues. In March, a row erupted over Raja’s remarks indicating that statues of rationalist leader Periya could be the next to be pulled down after a Lenin statue was razed in Tripura. He, however, sought to blame his Facebook administrator for the gaffe and expressed regret over the comments.
(With PTI inputs)