Reprimanding DMK leader A Raja for violation of model code of conduct (MCC), the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday, 1 April, barred him from campaigning for 48 hours with immediate effect and delisted his name from the list of star campaigners for the DMK.
The action came after complaints over his derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu CM E Palaniswami and his mother.
The EC did not find Raja’s reply regarding his remarks over the Tamil Nadu CM and his mother satisfactory.
Show-Cause Notice Against A Raja
The Election Commission had earlier issued a show-cause notice against DMK leader Raja, asking him to explain his stance over his remarks against Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami’s mother.
Raja responded by calling the remarks “simile,” asking for the full text of his speech to be considered so that it “wipes out the insult and consequent injury inflicted” on him, reported news agency ANI on Wednesday.
What Had Raja Originally Said?
Raja had, during a campaign, purportedly said: “Let’s compare DMK President Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami. In 23 years, Stalin went to jail under MISA rule. Then he served as a district secretary in the party, general committee member, youth wing secretary, treasurer, then working president and then president of DMK.”
“He became a leader and has served as an MLA, then Chennai’s Mayor, state Minister, Deputy CM and now he is going to become a CM,” he said.
“That’s why in the villages I say, if Stalin is someone who was born out a ‘rightful’ marriage, Edappadi Palaniswami – who no one knew until Jayalalithaa’s death and has not reached any heights in public life – is a premature baby born out of an illicit affair in politics,” he added.
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