Why aren't BJP's H Raja & Shekher arrested: MK Stalin

Chennai: DMK president M K Stalin on Sunday alleged that the police was “selectively implementing the rule of law” as they arrested actor-politician Karunaas for his speech against the CM but chose to stay mum about the highly provocative remarks made by BJP leaders H Raja and S Ve Shekher. 

Faulting Karunaas for his speech, Stalin in a statement said there should be no doubt that elected representatives should “not exceed their limits” and they had the duty of ensuring public peace and harmony. At the same time, Karunaas had subsequently expressed regret for his utterances but still was arrested. “The rule of law is being selectively implemented in Tamil Nadu. H Raja, who threatened to damage statues of Periyar and spoke in bad terms about the police, besides making remarks against spouses of temple administration staff, has not yet been arrested,” Stalin said. 

He said even after his highly provocative utterances against the CM and the police, BJP’s Raja was going around scot-free with even a police escort while another BJP member, S Ve Shekher was yet to be arrested despite making demeaning remarks against women journalists. 

“There is one rule for Karunaas and another for Raja and Shekher and this is injustice. This attitude of the AIADMK government is condemnable,” he added. 
TTV Dhinakaran also said it was “wrong” on the part of Karunaas to have made such remarks “emotionally” and regretted that his “friend” has been arrested. He also sought to know why the government was yet to act against H Raja. “The government and police should take a consistent stand. H Raja is making so many remarks. He spoke against the police and judiciary. The police department merely filed a case against him and stayed silent,” he said. 

DMDK founder Vijayakant ‘condemned’ the arrest of Karunaas and asked why “some other persons freely airing their views” were not facing action, apparently referring to H Raja. 

The CPI (M) at a meeting of its state council here adopted a resolution on this issue and accused the AIADMK government of acting as a “puppet” of the Centre. While the remarks made by Karunaas can be “critiqued,” why has the police not acted against Raja, it asked while demanding the “immediate arrest” of the BJP leader.

The CPI (M) resolution also referred to the police action against a woman research student who raised anti-BJP slogans against party’s state unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan in a Tuticortin-bound flight recently.