Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) parliamentarian A Raja found himself embroiled in another controversy on Tuesday for his comments that the people of Tamil Nadu “won’t accept Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata” — remarks that drew a sharp retort by the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing a public gathering in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore on March 3 (Sunday), he also took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned the idea of India as a nation, in what is seen as the latest in a series of controversial comments by leaders of the southern state’s ruling party.
“…If this is your Jai Shri Ram, if this is your Bharat Mata Ki Jai, we will never accept that Jai Shri Ram and Bharat Mata. Tamil Nadu won’t accept. You go and tell, we’re enemies of Ram,” A Raja said.
#BreakingNews: BJP rains fire on DMK over A Raja’s controversial remarks; BJP Leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said ‘whatever A Raja said is a language of a Maoist’#ARaja #DMK #BJP pic.twitter.com/ahZxO6g66p— News18 (@CNNnews18) March 5, 2024
Speaking at a public gathering in Coimbatore to mark the 71st birthday of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on March 3, the DMK leader also said, “I don’t have faith in Ramayana, and lord Ram. If you say that in name of the Ramayana is human harmony, where four brothers are born as siblings, one Kuravar as brother, one Hunter as brother, another monkey as another brother, another monkey as the 6th brother, then your Jai Sri Ram is Chi! Idiots!”
He then went on to target PM Modi, accusing him of helping Gautam Adani in looting commoners, citing the Hindenburg report. He also slammed PM Modi for not visiting ethnic riot-hit Manipur and challenged him to come clean on corruption allegations.
During his speech, the DMK MP said India was not a nation but a sub-continent, similar to the divisive notion of India peddled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He also quoted the preamble to support his claims.
BJP REACTS
Responding to A Raja’s statements, BJP Media Cell In-charge Amit Malviya said DMK first made derogatory comments against Sanatan Dharma and then went on to target the idea of India and PM Modi.
The hate speeches from DMK’s stable continue unabated. After Udhayanidhi Stalin’s call to annihilate Sanatan Dharma, it is now A Raja who calls for balkanisation of India, derides Bhagwan Ram, makes disparaging comments on Manipuris and questions the idea of India, as a nation.… pic.twitter.com/jgC1iOA5Ue— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) March 5, 2024
Taking to microblogging site X (formerly Twitter), he shared exerpts from the DMK MP’s speech and wrote, “The hate speeches from DMK’s stable continue unabated. After Udhayanidhi Stalin’s call to annihilate Sanatan Dharma, it is now A Raja who calls for balkanisation of India, derides Bhagwan Ram, makes disparaging comments on Manipuris, and questions the idea of India, as a nation. Congress and other I.N.D.I Alliance partners are quiet. Rahul Gandhi, their putative Prime Ministerial candidate’s silence is eloquent.”
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