News Tamil Nadu

DMK MP A.Raja derogates late AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa on her death anniversary, calls CM EPS in singular

December 6, 2020
The Commune

DMK MP from Nilgiris and 2G spectrum corruption accused A. Raja on the occasion of death anniversary of former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa, made crass and derogatory remarks on her by calling the late leader as ‘Aatha’ derogatarily while speaking at a press meet.

Couple of days ago, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami during a press meet mentioned about DMK’s cases of corruption like the 2G spectrum case, Sarkaria Commission mentioning the party as one that indulged in scientific corruption, etc. Speaking about the 2G spectrum case CM Palaniswami said “2G spectrum case.. The biggest scam ever. A corruption to the tune of Tamil Nadu’s entire budget. He had said “everyone knows where A. Raja will be if the 2G case comes to a conclusion”.

A. Raja, who was the Telecom Minister in the Congress-led UPA regime is one of the prime accused along with DMK MP and the party’s women’s wing secretary Kanimozhi in the 2G spectrum corruption case that resulted in an estimated loss of ₹1,76,000 to the state exchequer. Though they have been acquitted by the special CBI court in Delhi, they are likely to be dragged to the Supreme Court in the next few weeks.

In response to this, on December 3, DMK MP A. Raja who is also a Deputy General Secretary of the party challenged CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami for a open debate in the presence of media at Fort. St. George (Tamil Nadu Secretariat).

“Your ‘Amma’ [Jayalalithaa] is a convict. ₹100 crores was seized from your Amma. ₹10 crores was seized from your Chinnamma [Sasikala]. The same Chinnama whose feet you licked and became Chief Minister is still in jail. The judgement says that Chinnamma is not the main convict but was made one by ‘Periya’ Amma [elder-referring to Jayalalithaa. Despite the you accuse of DMK, Stalin and 2G which is not appropriate. Either apologize or call me for a open debate at the Fort”, Raja said during the press meet on December 3.

Again on December 6, while meeting the press after participating in a protest against the farmer empowerment laws Raja spoke about the Chief Minister in a disrespectful manner. He said “I had called him [CM Palaniswami] for a debate 3 days back. You [media] please go ask him about Raja’s challenge. Please ask him if he is not ashamed. Tell him it doesn’t seem to befit the position he holds and urge him to call me for a debate.”

Responding to a reporters question, Raja said “Enforcement Directorate did not ask me anything. Who asked me? Who spoke about 2G corruption, Sarkaria commission? ED? Who spoke? You [in singular] only told right? CM only told right? I had told that we never did any corruption, we are not a corrupt party, we have the judgement, I told. I told that you only had indulged in corruption. I told that your ‘Aatha’ [in a derogatory slang] did corruption and went to jail.”

The DMK MP went on to call the late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa as “an unforgivable bandit who abused and murdered the Constitution” adding that she called Sasikala, Sudhakaran, Ilavarasi to her home to create shell companies and swindle money through them. Raja said that Jayalalithaa was an ‘asingam’ [a disgusting thing] in politics.

“You guys are running around with that “Aatha’s” photo. What is the meaning of that? Does it mean that you will also indulge in corruption like your “Aatha”.” DMK leader A. Raja asked and left.

The DMK leader even shared this video as a tweet with the caption “ஆத்தா மாதிரியே ஊழல்” (Corrupt just like Aatha)

Many DMK leaders like TRB Raaja too followed suit.

These distasteful remarks of A. Raja calling CM Palaniswami in singular and derogating the late leader Jayalalithaa has not gone down well with the general public. Many say that Raja’s remark is an expression of his fear about the 2G case being speeded up and the entry of Rajini into politics.

DMK leader A.Raja is not only know for being the prime accused in the 2G case but is also know for his foul language. Earlier, in a public meeting, he lambasted at a fellow cadre of the DMK and called him a ‘dog’ for raising slogans in the middle of his speech.