DMK protests across TN, demands H Raja’s arrest over ‘illegitimate child’ jibe

Protests were held against Raja’s remark in Chennai, Thiruvarur, Perumbalur, Namakkal, Karaikudi, Tiruppur, Velur, Salem, Cuddalore and Tirunelveli.
DMK protests across TN, demands H Raja’s arrest over ‘illegitimate child’ jibe
DMK protests across TN, demands H Raja’s arrest over ‘illegitimate child’ jibe
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After BJP National Secretary H Raja took a veiled dig at DMK Rajya Sabha MP and DMK President M Karunanidhi’s daughter, Kanimozhi, the DMK held protests across Tamil Nadu demanding his arrest on Wednesday. 

Protests and demonstrations were held against Raja’s remark in Thiruvarur, Perumbalur, Namakkal, Karaikudi, Tiruppur, Velur, Salem, Cuddalore and Tirunelveli. Effigies of the BJP leader were beaten up and burnt across the state while slogans rang in the air calling for his arrest; in some places, his photos and posters were hit with slippers. In Namakkal, women protesters beat his effigy with brooms, according to Puthiya Thalamurai. An effigy of Raja was also burnt in Chennai. 

In Thiruvarur, protesters and the police clashed at the demonstration site, while in Perumbalur, all protesters were detained due to tensions between those protesting and the police.

In Karaikudi, protesting DMK workers blocked the roads, due to which the police beefed up security at H Raja’s home in the town, the report said. 

Protests broke out across the state after the BJP national secretary attacked Kanimozhi on Twitter, saying, “Would journalists question the leader who made his illegitimate child, from an illegitimate relationship, a Rajya Sabha MP, just like they questioned the Governor? Memories of Chidambaram Udayakumar, Anna Nagar Ramesh, Perambalur Sadiq Basha would haunt them.”

Raja’s uncivil and contemptuous tweet was in response to Kanimozhi condemning the Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit for patting a woman journalist on the cheek instead of answering her question after a press conference.

DMK spokesperson Saravanan and Kanimozhi herself have responded to Raja’s low blow.

“Even the High Court has asked whether he is suffering from a mental illness. We all want to ask, why has BJP kept such a low life as their national secretary? Does the BJP support these opinions? No action has taken so far, this is the hooliganism and arrogance of being in power,” Saravanan tweeted.

Kanimozhi told TNM that Raja’s tweet exposed how women are treated in society.

“Either you patronise a woman as seen in the press conference, or you try to personally attack her. Can a woman not be present in public places? This incident has shown what happens when a woman comes out in support of another,” she said.

She also called upon the BJP to respond to what H Raja has said.

“This is not going to make me step back or prevent me from taking up such issues in the future,” she added.

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