Election Commission bars DMK leader A Raja from campaigning for 48 hours

Raja says he never meant to disrespect Palaniswami or his mother

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday barred former Union Telecom Minister A Raja from campaigning for 48 hours with immediate effect for his controversial and derogatory remarks on Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

In its order, the ECI said Raja's response to its notice was not found satisfactory and seeking more time to represent is an attempt to buy time which the Commission cannot afford to give in the midst of elections.

The ECI delisted Raja's name from the list of star campaigners of the DMK and debarred him from campaigning for 48 hours with immediate effect.

Read: Amit Shah tears into DMK for A Raja's offensive remarks against TN CM; dubs it 'anti-women'

“The Commission also advises you to be watchful and not to make intemperate, indecent, derogatory, obscene remarks and lower the dignity of women in future during the election campaign,” the order said.

The speech, which the AIADMK says was derogatory in nature, went viral on social media prompting DMK Chief M K Stalin to appeal to his party leaders to ensure that their speeches are made in a dignified manner. Raja, in his response, said he never meant to disrespect Palaniswami or his mother but was only comparing the political growth of the Chief Minister with that of DMK Chief MK Stalin.