Tamil Nadu BJP leader gets 6-month jail for remarks on Kanimozhi, Periyar statues

A special court in Tamil Nadu convicted senior BJP leader H Raja on Monday in two separate cases, one related to his remarks about Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi and another concerning his controversial comments about demolishing Periyar statues.
The Special Court for MPs/MLAs sentenced Raja, the BJP National Secretary, to six months’ simple imprisonment in both cases. In addition, he was imposed with a total fine of Rs 5,000. However, the court suspended the sentence for 30 days, granting Raja time to file an appeal.
In the case related to his comments about demolishing statues of EV Ramasamy ‘Periyar’, the court condemned Raja’s social media post from 2018, which followed the dismantling of a Lenin statue in Tripura. The court described Raja’s message as “highly condemnable and provocative”, warning that it could disrupt communal harmony and lead to violence.
“The message… has all the potential to disturb communal harmony and peace and may also lead to violence and rioting,” said Assistant Sessions Judge/Special Judge G Jayavel.
In the second case, Raja was convicted for derogatory remarks about Kanimozhi, daughter of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, made in 2018. The court found Raja guilty of using offensive language intended to insult and provoke a breach of peace. Raja was also convicted under relevant sections for insulting the modesty of a woman, provocation with intent to cause a riot and intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.
Following the verdict, Raja told reporters that his legal team would challenge the court’s decision.