The Tamil Nadu Police have registered cases against three senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leaders over alleged derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Law Minister CT Nirmal Kumar.
The cases were filed against DMK deputy general secretary and Nilgiris MP A Raja, Harbour MLA PK Sekar Babu and Rishivandiyam MLA Vasantham Karthikeyan following protests held by the party on September 12.
The DMK had organised statewide demonstrations to protest Vijay’s remarks in the Assembly on September 7 concerning party president MK Stalin’s detention under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency.
In Chennai, Saidapet police registered a case against Raja based on a complaint from TVK functionary Karthik. The charges against him include intentionally insulting with intent to provoke breach of peace and statements conducing to public mischief and insulting the modesty of a woman.
The complaint alleged that Raja made derogatory remarks against Nirmal Kumar during the protest. Raja had criticised the minister for questioning the circumstances surrounding Stalin’s detention.
At the protest, Raja described Vijay as a “great scoundrel” while questioning the minister’s remarks on Stalin’s MISA detention. He also allegedly made comments questioning Nirmal Kumar’s parentage, which were seen as insulting his mother.
The remarks drew criticism, including from within the DMK. DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi posted a Thirukkural couplet on controlling one’s tongue, which was widely interpreted as a response to Raja.
CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam also criticised the remarks, saying it was “unbearable” that some DMK leaders continued to demean women while cadres cheered them.
Raja later expressed regret over his comments in a post on X. “I regret that, in an emotional impulse, I questioned the identity of the person who repeatedly and deliberately mocked a leader who was born out of sacrifice, by calling his identity a lie. I have no hesitation in taking back my words. If you do not mend your ways, you will be made to do so,” he wrote.
A separate case was registered at North Beach Police Station against Sekar Babu, based on a complaint alleging that he made derogatory remarks against Vijay and Nirmal Kumar during a protest near the Chennai Collectorate.
Sekar Babu reportedly called Vijay a “runaway” while referring to his response to the 2025 Karur stampede, in which 41 people died at a TVK event. He also described the Chief Minister as “spineless” and “weak”, and accused him of delivering “cinema-style dialogues” in the Assembly.
He further said the DMK was an “injured tiger” that would repay everything “with interest” and drive the “runaway dogs” out of the state.
The complaint, filed by a TVK supporter, alleged that Sekar Babu used abusive expressions against the Chief Minister and Nirmal Kumar, made remarks about Vijay’s response to the Karur incident, and that some comments could create hostility and disturb public order.
Meanwhile, Kallakurichi police booked Rishivandiyam MLA Vasantham Karthikeyan under four sections for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Vijay during the September 12 protest. The case followed a complaint from a TVK functionary.
Responding to the cases, senior DMK leader TK Elangovan said the party had the right to criticise the ruling government as the Opposition. “As the opposition party, we have the right to criticise and attack the ruling party for its mistakes. This government is only against the DMK. When LoP asked about law and order, they didn’t have any answers, but they will attack DMK. This (TVK) govt is a slave of BJP,” he told ANI.
VCK chief Thirumavalavan, however, criticised the DMK leaders for crossing limits of decency in their speeches. He said leaders such as CN Annadurai, Periyar EV Ramasamy and M Karunanidhi had opposed their ideological rivals without resorting to such language.
“Even when they faced severe criticism, they never crossed the limits of decency in their speeches or writings. However, some senior leaders associated with the DMK are speaking in a manner that brings disrepute to the DMK itself and creates difficulties for Stalin. This is not good for the future of the DMK,” he said.
Chief Minister Vijay had recently in the Assembly said that derogatory speeches should be avoided. “Politics can be discussed in any manner, but no one should be personally abused or defamed,” he said, stressing that political criticism should not extend to personal attacks.