DMK's Rajya Sabha MP arrested by Chennai cops for offensive remarks against SC/ST

More than three months after he allegedly hurled offensive comments against judges from Scheduled Caste/Tribes, the Chennai Police has arrested DMK's Rajya Sabha MP RS Bharathi on Saturday. The arrest was done after an FIR against him under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. As per reports, he was arrested from his residence in Alandur, Chennai. A complaint was filed against him by Kalyan Kumar, the Chief of Adi Tamilar Makkal Katchi.

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates

Bharathi alleges political vendetta

Speaking to reporters on Saturday morning, Bharathi blamed a 'particular group on social media' for the campaign against him and alleged that it was 'taken out of context.' He also said that action against him is politically motivated. "Today early morning they came to arrest me. The reason for this sudden arrest is that only yesterday (Friday) evening I lodged a complaint against (Deputy Chief Minister) OPS’s (O Panneerselvam) corruption. Even now we are preparing another complaint about having bought bleaching powder for disinfection activities in Coimbatore for about Rs 200 crore. Somehow they got this information through intelligence (officials) and have arrested me,” he said.

READ | 'People were expecting big announcement, not TASMAC shops': DMK's Stalin shames TN govt

Derogatory remarks 

On February 15 this year, Bharathi made derogatory remarks against judges and media while speaking at Kalaignar Readers’ Circle event at Anbagam, the DMK Youth Wing headquarters in Chennai. He allegedly said: “No Harijan has become the judge of the High Court in Madhya Pradesh. But in Tamil Nadu, after Kalaignar became the Chief Minister, A Varadarajan became the first Dalit judge in Madras High Court. After him, around seven or eight from the Adi Dravidar community became the judges in the High Court. This was alms given by the Dravidian movement. Now again they (Brahmins) are back in court. I am telling you out of angst, the Supreme Court has become an RSS centre.”

READ | DMK opposes 10th grade exams, says govt should revoke the exam notification immediately

In the 12-minute long video, which went viral on social media, he also compared media houses with 'red-light districts'. "I am silent because I am in this party post of organising secretary. These journalists don't have a job. They only blame us. Kejriwal used Prashant Kishor, Narendra Modi used him and many others used him. But they discuss only when the DMK is using him and now it has become a debate. I say it openly that these TV journalists are real scoundrels. They run debates like the red-light areas in Mumbai. They do anything for money."

READ | DMK's Stalin hits back at Tamil Nadu CM for blaming Koyembedu vendors for spreading Covid

DMK leader had apologised 

However, after his remark went viral, he took to Twitter and said: "I understand that some words I spoke at an event organised by Kalaignar Readers' Circle have hurt the sentiments of the oppressed persons. I express regret for that. My intention was not to hurt them, but to just highlight the good things Kalaignar has done for them."