Chennai/Bengaluru: A case under section 294B of the IPC (uttering obscene words in public) has been registered against TN fisheries minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan for alleged remarks against PM Modi at a recent meeting of DMK party workers. But there was no brake on intemperate remarks, with Karnataka minister Shivaraj Tangadagi suggesting youths and students chanting ‘Modi, Modi’ in public should be “slapped”, leading to a complaint by BJP.
According to BJP Thoothukudi south district president R Sidhrangathan, the minister made the remarks against the PM at the DMK party workers meeting held at Thandapathu in Tuticorin district on March 22. “I filed a complaint with the district election officer and collector G Lakshmipathy demanding appropriate action against him and the police registered an FIR,” he said. Radhakrishnan’s uttering was “disgusting and despicable and he criticised the Prime Minister for lauding late chief minister Kamaraj,” Sidhrangathan said.
Speaking at a meeting of Congress workers in Karatagy, Karnataka, Shivaraj alleged that Modi came to power by “lying”. “Two crore jobs PM Modi promised. Did he give it? They should be ashamed. Those youth supporters of his who chant ‘Modi Modi’, can slap them. They have run everything based on lies for the past 10 years,” he said.
Senior BJP leader and party’s former national general secretary C T Ravi hit out at the Congress over the minister’s comments. “Realising that Congress is going to lose the upcoming Lok Sabha elections very badly, Congressmen are stooping to new lows. And they call PM Modi a dictator!” he posted on X.
BJP has petitioned the Election Commission seeking strict action against the minister. He should be barred from the election process and from campaigning in favour of the Congress, BJP said, calling it a clear violation of the model code of conduct.