The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday barred former Union Minister and DMK leader A Raja from campaigning for 48 hours with immediate effect and dropped him from the list of DMK’s star campaigners in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, over his “derogatory” and “obscene” remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami.
The EC also advised Raja “to be watchful and not to make interpretate indecent, derogatory, obscene remarks and lower the dignity of women in future during the election campaign”.
The order did not specify the exact time the ban would end, but if the communication was received by Raja this afternoon, he cannot campaign till the afternoon of April 3. The 48-hour ban means that Raja would not be able to address any public meetings, rallies, press conferences or even give media interviews until April 3. . If a leader is a “star campaigner”, his campaigning expenditure are borne by the party and not by the candidate himself.
“The Commission also advises you to be watchful and not to make intemperate, indecent, derogatory, obscene remarks and lower the dignity of women in future during election campaign,” the order read. There have been instances where the EC has mentioned the exact time when the ban would end.
In his reply to the EC, Raja had defended his statement saying that in Tamil oratory, simile is a well-accepted norm. In my speech, evolution of the political heights and their means of MK Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami were compared through a simile as new born babies for the easy understanding of the masses. This was in response to the CM’s repeated allegations that MK Stalin has never worked hard to become a leader. Hence, if the full text is considered by the committee, I’m hopeful that it will wipe out the insult and consequent injury inflicted on me,” the former Union minister added.