DMK MP held for alleged remarks against SC group
Chennai, May 23: DMK’s Rajya Sabha MP R.S. Bharathi was arrested on Saturday for his alleged disparaging remarks made against the Scheduled Caste community a few months ago, prompting an exchange of words between the party chief MK Stalin and Tamil Nadu chief minister K. Palaniswami.
Stalin alleged the arrest was a ploy by the ruling AIADMK to “divert” attention from corruption and the government’s “failure” to handle the Covid-19 situation, remarks that drew sharp rebuke from Mr Palaniswami who charged the Opposition leader with enacting a “drama” to gain political mileage.
Earlier on Saturday, Mr Bharathi, the 73 year-old DMK organisation secretary, was picked up from his residence. He was later granted interim bail till June 1 by a city court after it was informed that the Madras high court was already seized of a surrender application filed by him which is coming up on Wednesday.
R.S. Bharathi
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Mr Bharathi alleged he was being targeted for trying to expose instances of corruption in the AIADMK-led government.
He was arrested for allegedly making the comments against the SC community, with a case being filed against him recently under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act based on a complaint.
Mr Bharathi said his remarks made at a DMK meeting in February had been “twisted” and said it was not reported in any newspaper while “some in the social media carried out a campaign against me.”
Speaking to reporters here, he said he had “responded” to the issue then in the media and more than 100 days had passed since then. “Today they come to arrest me,” he said and claimed he was being targeted for exposing certain corruption issues in the government but added his party will not be cowed down.
The Teynampet police had registered a case against Mr Bharathi under IPC Sections besides that of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, based on a complaint by “Athi Tamilar Makkal Katchi” leader Kalyanasundaram.
The arrest prompted an exchange of words between Stalin and Palaniswami. Mr Stalin condemned the action and wondered why the police acted on a three month old case.