Tamil Nadu BJP distances from H Raja's remark: Periyar is great reformer

CHENNAI: The BJP may have changed the perception of victory in the North Eastern States but it woke up to a rude shock over party senior's controversial remark on the Dravidian icon - Periyar. Though H. Raja, BJP national secretary, wasted no time in retracting the Facebook post and apologising, he found himself left without any support in the BJP on the Periyar issue.

This is not the first time Raja had made a controversial remark, his views on Vijay starrer Mersal, Andal and even on firebrand speaker MDMK chief Vaiko, found takers in the saffron party. But this time its a different story. While party president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan immediately distanced herself and her party from the emotive issue, party senior and Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan too condemned the remark and said it was "unacceptable and anti democratic." "BJP will not accept anyone vandalising the statues of any leaders… we should leave the issue at this as Raja has explained and even apologised."

"It is wrong to vandalise the statues of leaders or target great social reformers like Periyar who has been accepted by almost 90 per cent of the people.. We should respect them," BJP senior M. Chakravarthy said. He claimed none in the party expected the sudden turn of events and said "since Raja has removed the post and tendered an apology, the issue should be construed as closed."

Another leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah took a serious view over the incident and though Mr. Shah had stated that no action would be taken on H. Raja, the message is clear that none should entangle in any such controversies.

 Perhaps, this is rather a costly lesson for the BJP, which has been tasting victories since 2014 and even trouncing the Congress and Communists in the North East States. The Dravidian turf is something different and altogether a tough terrain for the saffron party. The BJP which has been claiming to emerge as a viable alternative in TN needs to rework its strategy and not whip up caste hatred among the people, a senior leader pointed out.