Election Commission hit backs DMK leader, bars him from campaigning for 48 hours

Chennai, April 01: Think Twice Before You Speak! DMK Leader A Raja is always going to remember this phrase as Election Commission has taken action against him for uttering derogatory about Tamilnadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and his mother. Issuing the notice to him EC has barred him from campaigning for the next 48 hours in TN. According to the press release, EC took the action against Raja for violating the model code of conduct.

 

In the issued notice EC has said, “based on ground reports, it is of the view that the contents of the speech made by you are not only derogatory but also obscene and lower the dignity of motherhood of women, which seems to be a serious violation of the provisions of Model Code of Conduct."

 

 

 

Election Commission had earlier issued a show-cause notice to DMK leader A Raja. The Commission has given him “an opportunity to explain your position in this regard on or before 6 pm on 31 March, failing which the Commission shall decide without any further reference to you.” The notice said the EC received a complaint through the state chief electoral officer from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which alleged that Raja had made a derogatory and scandalous speech against Palaniswami during an election campaign on 26 March at Thousand Lights assembly constituency. The notice also pointed out that the Central Crime Branch has registered a case under the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 against the DMK MP.

 

 

Responding to this, Raja said he has been "falsely accused of making derogatory comments". The former Union telecom minister said that he had not spoken anything "obscene" or which would lower the dignity of women and motherhood. Raja maintained that his speech was not violative of the model code of conduct or any other law in his reply to the EC. But the ECI did not find Raja's "interim explanation" satisfactory and took the action against him. It has also advised the politician to be "watchful" and not to make indecent and derogatory remarks.

 

It should be noted that a Raja had passed alleged derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his mother during an election campaign.

Narendra Modi has also slammed the DMK leader for his comment saying, "Both DMK and Congress will not guarantee women empowerment as ‘insulting women’ is part of their culture. Today DMK and Congress have insulted the respected mother of CM K Palaniswamy. God forbid if they come to power, they will insult many other women of the state”.

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