The Tamil Nadu police on Wednesday, 21 September, arrested Balaji Uthamaramasamy, the Coimbatore district president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for allegedly making threatening comments against Nilgiris MP and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader, A Raja.
He was arrested on the basis of the complaint filed by DMK's ally Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, reported The Indian Express.
Uthamaramasamy has been sent to judicial custody for 15 days.
BJP workers in Coimbatore have been protesting against Uthamaramasamy's arrest. His arrest comes after Uthamaramasamy, in his speech, challenged Raja to enter Coimbatore without police protection, the report added.
He further said that if Raja does not stop making derogatory remarks against Hindus, he would not be allowed to enter the Coimbatore airport.
“It’s not like the old times and there will be consequences,” Uthamaramasamy said, the report added.
Uthamaramasamy's remark comes after Raja stoked a controversy over his Shudra remark and drew the BJP's anger, accusing him of spewing hatred against a community to appease others, reported news agency PTI.
Shudras were insulted in the Manusmriti and denied equality, education, employment, and entry into temples, Raja had said, while addressing a meeting of Dravidar Kazhagam.
"You are a Shudra till you remain a Hindu. You are the son of a prostitute till you remain as Shudra. You are a Panchaman (Dalit) till you remain a Hindu. You are an untouchable till you remain a Hindu," Raja had said.
BJP Leader Files Complaint in Lok Sabha
BJP leader CTR Nirmal Kumar had on Tuesday, 20 September, said that he has filed a complaint with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against A Raja for his alleged hate speech against Hindus and wanted the DMK MP to be refrained from contesting in future elections.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and PTI.)
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