DMK Lawmaker A. Raja Pulls Back Offensive Statement on CM Vijay

Chennai – On September 13, senior DMK parliamentarian A. Raja announced that he is withdrawing the controversial statement he made against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The comment, delivered during a series of DMK‑organized demonstrations against the TVK administration, triggered a strong rebuke from senior party leaders and coalition partners.

During the protests, the opposition accused the chief minister and Law Minister C.T.T.R. Nirmal Kumar of disrespecting the memory of those who suffered imprisonment during the Emergency. However, Raja’s remarks turned personal, prompting senior DMK figures such as P.K. Sekar Babu and R.S. Bharathi to label the language “unacceptable for a senior MP.”

Allied party leaders also expressed disapproval, and a segment of DMK activists used social media to separate themselves from the MP’s comments. Mannikam Tagore, president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, condemned the personal attack, warning that such rhetoric undermines democratic principles.

In his X update, Raja wrote, “I am ready to take back my words without hesitation. I regret questioning the identity and truth of a person who deliberately mocked the heritage of a martyr‑born leader.” He added that those who refuse to change will be corrected.

The controversy has added another layer to the ongoing political friction between the ruling TVK and the opposition DMK, prompting a renewed call for respectful and constructive dialogue among Tamil Nadu’s political actors.