DMK leaders A Raja, Sekar Babu booked over alleged remarks against Vijay

Police have registered cases against senior DMK leaders A Raja and P K Sekar Babu, and MLA Vasantham Karthikeyan, over alleged defamatory remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay during recent protests organised by the party over his comments on M K Stalin

Chennai: Police have registered cases under various legal provisions against senior DMK leaders A Raja and P K Sekar Babu over alleged defamatory remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay during recent party demonstrations, an official said on Tuesday.

In addition to DMK deputy general secretary Raja and former minister Babu, cases were registered against party MLA Vasantham Karthikeyan for allegedly making defamatory remarks on September 12.

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The official confirmed that a case has been registered at B1 North Beach Police Station against the DMK’s Harbour MLA and Chennai East district secretary Babu following a complaint that he had made derogatory remarks against the chief minister during the party’s protest.

Saidapet police booked a case against Raja based on a complaint lodged by TVK functionary Karthik, alleging that Raja made derogatory remarks against Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar during the protest condemning the chief minister’s speech in the Assembly.

Daring the ruling TVK to book a case against him, Raja had said even Congress and BJP leaders had acknowledged party president M K Stalin’s contribution and arrest under MISA during the Emergency.

The Kallakurichi police registered a case against Rishivandhiyam legislator Vasantham Karthikeyan for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Vijay.

The DMK had organised statewide protests targeting the chief minister following his remarks on Stalin’s detention under MISA during the Emergency and his making of jaw gestures.

While making corruption allegations against the DMK during the recently concluded Assembly session, Vijay commented on Stalin’s arrest under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency and made jaw gestures that were spontaneously opposed by DMK members in the House.

Later, Kumar justified the CM’s remarks in the Assembly, directly disputing the long-standing narrative that the DMK chief was arrested under the stringent MISA during the 1975-77 Emergency.

Speaking to reporters in Madurai following an inspection of preparations for the Meenakshi Amman Temple consecration ceremony, the minister asserted that no official detention order copy existed to substantiate Stalin’s claims of being a MISA detainee.

“No detention copy, no MISA arrest,” Kumar had said, accusing the opposition DMK of overreacting and attempting to project Stalin as a political martyr based on unverified historical claims.

“The fundamental question is whether he was detained under MISA or not,” Kumar stated.

“If anyone is arrested under such an act, there will always be a formal detention order copy. Does Stalin or the DMK have that detention copy? He will end up being the only martyr without one,” the minister had said.