DMK Minister Faces Police Case Over 'Derogatory' Remarks Against PM Modi

The Tuticorin police in Tamil Nadu have filed a case against state Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan for his alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Aren't you those who wanted to kill Kamaraj when he was sleeping," the minister was heard saying in a video in an apparent response to PM Modi, who had invoked Congress icon K Kamaraj at a rally.

NDTV couldn't independently verify the video featuring the minister.

"We have booked the minister under section 294B (using obscene words in public), based on a complaint by a BJP functionary," an officer from the Meignanapuram Police Station told NDTV.

The state BJP has also written to the Election Commission for action against the minister.

DMK leaders have reached a new low in their uncouth behaviour by passing vile comments & unpardonable public discourse against our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi avl.

When they have nothing to criticise, this is the level DMK leaders have stooped. DMK MP Smt Kanimozhi avl was on… pic.twitter.com/sTdQSNjkir

Sharing the video on X, BJP state Chief Annamalai said, "DMK leaders have reached a new low in their uncouth behaviour by passing vile comments & unpardonable public discourse against our Hon PM".

"DMK MP Smt Kanimozhi avl was on the stage and did not bother to stop her colleague," he added.

K Kamaraj, a former chief minister of the erstwhile Madras State, was a Congress icon from Tamil Nadu. PM Modi had invoked Kamaraj at an election rally in Salem last week, saying his honesty and revolutionary schemes like mid-day meals have been big inspiration for him.

Targeting the Prime Minister, DMK's Anitha R Radhakrishnan is heard saying in the video, "You speak as if Kamaraj hugged you."

The DMK is yet to respond to the charges.

Mr Radhakrishnan is not alien to controversies. A newspaper ad commissioned by him, hailing the creation of a second launch pad for India's space agency, had sparked a furious row last month. The ad had an image of the Chinese flag prominently on the rocket in the poster.