— TS Venkatesan
DMK MP Andimuthu Raja, known rabid Hindu phobic and for controversial rhetoric, has received flak from Arundathiyar community for his recent remarks.
Raja, who is a dalit, is known for his abusive and uncouth remarks against Hindus, Hinduism and political opponents including PM, BJP and RSS.
According to reliable sources and a leading Tamil Daily, 2G scam fame Raja attended DMK party’s booth level agents meeting at Trichy last week. In that he allegedly spoke “ human scavenging more particularly collecting human excrement Arundathiar community is a minority one and we need not count on their votes. With their votes no one is going to win. So do not bother and give importance to them and their demands. DMK leader M Karunanidhi gave them 3 percent internal reservation for this community . They are ungrateful. This does not mean I am belittling them “.
But his controversial remarks evoked flak from Arundathiyar community. They are upping their ante with their blood boiling. His remarks, they say, his harsh remarks has severely offended them. They urge A Raja to apologise for his remarks or they will organise protests and stirs against him.
Some leaders say “ We have more than 60 lakh people in our community . Taking special concern for our community, then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi set up a committee under the chairmanship of Justice Janardhanan. The committee has recommended internal reservation for our community. Accordingly Karunanidhi has given us three percent internal reservation in education and employment. But our community is being targeted and isolated by the present government led by CM M K Staln.
“Our concern and interests are being not addressed by his government. We are being continuously neglected. The DMK government is refusing to accommodate Arundathiyar community representation in any welfare board including Sanitary Workers’ board. its Nilgiri MP A Raja’s speech is the reflection and culmination of its attitude towards community in denigrating us lower. If we remain calm after his speech, it will be shameful for Arundathiyar community people who are members or supporters of the DMK.
“We will organise protests till he tender his apologies in public. All outfits will jointly do the protests. It is Chief Minister Stalin’s responsibility to make him to do so. He should not run away from this”.
This is not first time Raja stoked controversies. During Erode by poll east campaigning, Raja was canvassing votes for the candidate on the evening of Sunday (19 Fenruary 2023) when he made casteist remarks targeting AIADMK and BJP leaders belonging to a particular caste.
Reacting to the opposition to erect pen statue for DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, while addressing a meeting in at ‘Periyar Nagar’ in Erode, the DMK MP said “They say that Edappadi Palaniswami has studied till BA. Vanathi Srinivasan has studied law. Annamalai became IPS. That pen (Karunanidhi’s pen) put you under the Backward Class category and made you study. If not for that pen, Annamalai would’ve reared goats. Edappadi Palaniswami would be doing labour. Vanathi Srinivasan would be picking coconuts in some coconut farm.” He is trying to say without reservation none would rose to top level or get uplifted.
During the 2021 Assembly election campaign A. Raja attacked Edappadi K. Palaniswami by saying “Edappadi Palaniswami was born premature, and was born out of an illegitimate relationship.” while hailing his leaded MK Stalin.
In September 16 2022, Raja. said Shudras were denied equality, education, employment, and entry into temples by Manusmriti. He said “(According to Manusmrithi), a Shudra is the son of a prostitute and he is a Panchaman (Dalit) till he is a Panchaman (Dalit) till he remains a Hindu. One remains an untouchable till he is a Hindu. How many of you wish to stay as children of prostitutes? How many of you wish to remain untouchables?”
“I haven’t seen any religion like this. Lingayats in Karnataka are petitioning the Supreme Court saying that their way of worship and religious principles are different. They are asking themselves not to be declared Hindu. But what is the Supreme Court saying? The Supreme Court is saying that if you aren’t a Christian, Muslim, or Persian, you have to be a Hindu. Is there any other country having such cruelty?” Raja said.
He also said “ an inch of an idol of God and Hinduism are there, we can’t root out Hinduism from this soil. So our priority is to attack them “
In January this year, A Raja, who was the special guest at the 157th anniversary function of Kunnoor Anthoniyaar School, Nilgiri District, said: “When we talk about education in India, it becomes a popular topic in today’s political environment. Credits should be given to the British for making education available to even the ordinary people, when it had been denied for 3,000 years. Schools founded by Christian organisations continue to teach about our history. Many questioned why heshould praise a religion in front of school students of various faiths.
in July last, Raja , while addressing a conference of the party’s local body representatives in Namakkal, said that social reformer Periyar, whom the DMK, considers as its ideological leader, advocated for Tamil Nadu to separate from India.“
“However, we have kept that demand aside so far for the sake of democracy and unity of India. I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah not to force us to revive the demand. Please give us state autonomy. I am telling Amit Shah and the Prime Minister with utmost humility, I implore you in the presence of [our] leaders on the dais, our chief minister is journeying on the path of Anna [DMK founder CN Annadurai], do not force us on the path of Periyar. I urge the Centre to grant us autonomy. We shall not stop our fight until Tamil Nadu gets state autonomy”. Raja also said “Do not make us seek a separate country, give state autonomy and we will not rest till then”. He said that the DMNK been championing the cause of state autonomy for several decades.