Case against DMK leaders over remarks on CM Vijay

Tamil Nadu Police have booked DMK leaders A Raja, P K Sekar Babu and Vasantham Karthikeyan over allegedly derogatory remarks against chief minister C Joseph Vijay and his Cabinet colleague CTR Nimal Kumar at a protest on September 12. Raja has been charged with inciting violence between groups and disrupting public order. Raja said if a case is filed, they have to face it. DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said the party has the right to criticise the ruling party's mistakes.

Written by AI from Hindustan Times — India · not yet reviewed by an editor · Published 15 Sept 2026, 5:26 pm IST

Source

Hindustan Times — India · read the original report ↗

#dmk#tamil nadu#police case#vijay#a raja

Desk check · some claims need care

What the desk checked (5)

Tamil Nadu Police booked DMK leaders A Raja, P K Sekar Babu and Vasantham Karthikeyan over allegedly derogatory remarks at a September 12 protest. — Stated in source; confirmation attributed only to a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity.
The remarks targeted chief minister C Joseph Vijay and Cabinet colleague CTR Nimal Kumar. — Figure/names appear in source; designation of Vijay as chief minister while DMK is called Opposition is internally unusual and unverified here.
Raja has been charged with inciting violence between groups and acts disrupting public order. — Reported in source without citing the specific FIR sections or a named official.
Raja said: 'Is this a question? If a case is filed, we have to face it.' — Direct quote attributed to him in source.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said the party has the right to criticise the ruling party and cited crimes, custodial deaths and attacks on women. — Attributed political allegation; unverified, no supporting figures given.

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Analysts’ view opinion

AI రాజకీయ విశ్లేషకులు · తెలుగు

తమిళనాడులో అధికార పక్షం-ప్రతిపక్షం మధ్య ఘర్షణ ఇప్పుడు పోలీసు కేసుల వేదికకు మారింది. ముఖ్యమంత్రి సి జోసెఫ్ విజయ్‌పై చేసిన వ్యాఖ్యలపై ఏ రాజా వంటి డీఎంకే సీనియర్ నేతలపై కేసు నమోదు చేయడం ద్వారా ప్రభుత్వం "వ్యక్తిగత దూషణలకు సహించబోము" అనే సందేశం ఇస్తోంది; అదే సమయంలో డీఎంకే దీన్ని "విమర్శించే హక్కుపై దాడి" అని చిత్రీకరించి రాజకీయ లబ్ధి పొందే అవకాశం ఉంది. ఇక్కడ కీలకమైన అంశం వ్యాఖ్యల తీవ్రత కాదు — ఎవరి కథనం ప్రజల్లో నిలుస్తుందన్నదే.

సీనియర్ నేతలపై కేసులు పెట్టడం అధికార పక్షానికి రెండు వైపులా పదునున్న కత్తి — క్రమశిక్షణ చూపినట్టు కనిపిస్తుంది, కానీ ప్రతిపక్షానికి 'బాధితుడు' పాత్ర ఇచ్చే ప్రమాదమూ ఉంది.
"కేసు పెడితే ఎదుర్కొంటాం" అనే రాజా స్పందన ఉద్దేశపూర్వకంగా తగ్గకపోవడాన్ని సూచిస్తుంది; ఇలాంటి కేసులు తరచుగా నేతల క్యాడర్‌లో పట్టును పెంచుతాయి.
ప్రభుత్వం వ్యాఖ్యలపై చర్చను కేంద్రీకరిస్తుండగా, డీఎంకే నేరాలు, కస్టడీ మరణాలు, మహిళలపై దాడులు వంటి పాలనా వైఫల్యాల అంశాలవైపు చర్చను మళ్లించే ప్రయత్నం చేస్తోంది — ఇది ఎజెండా నియంత్రణ పోరు.
'ఈ ప్రభుత్వం డీఎంకేకు వ్యతిరేకంగానే పనిచేస్తోంది' అనే ఇళంగోవన్ వాదన, రాజ్య యంత్రాంగం దుర్వినియోగం అనే ఫ్రేమ్‌ను రాబోయే నెలల్లో ప్రతిపక్షం స్థిర కథనంగా మార్చుకోవచ్చు.
సోషల్ మీడియాలో వ్యాఖ్యలు విస్తృతంగా ప్రచారమవడం చూస్తే, ఈ వివాదం న్యాయపరమైన ఫలితం కంటే డిజిటల్ ప్రచార యుద్ధంగా ముందుకు సాగే సూచనలు కనిపిస్తున్నాయి.

What to watch — కేసు దర్యాప్తు ఎంత వేగంగా ముందుకు సాగుతుంది, అరెస్టుల దశకు వెళ్తుందా అన్నది గమనించాలి — ఏ చిన్న కఠిన చర్య అయినా డీఎంకే వీధి నిరసనలకు, ప్రతి-ఆరోపణలకు దారితీసే అవకాశం ఉంది.

వాస్తవంగా ఏ వ్యాఖ్యలు చేశారు, అవి చట్టపరంగా నేరమవుతాయా, కేసు నమోదులో రాజకీయ ప్రమేయం ఉందా అనే విషయాలను ఈ కథనం నిర్ధారించలేదు; పోలీసులు కూడా వివరాలు వెల్లడించలేదు.

Deep dive

Research brief · 8 facts · 4 dates · exam-ready

The brief

Context

Tamil Nadu Police have registered a case against three DMK leaders — A Raja, P K Sekar Babu and Vasantham Karthikeyan — over remarks the police describe as derogatory, made against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Minister CTR Nimal Kumar at a protest on September 12. The remarks circulated widely on social media and drew sharp reactions. The DMK, now in opposition with Udhayanidhi Stalin as Leader of the Opposition, says it is exercising its right to criticise the ruling party. The episode is part of a wider confrontation between the ruling side and the Opposition over law and order, custodial deaths and crimes against women.

Key facts

Tamil Nadu Police booked DMK leaders A Raja, P K Sekar Babu and Vasantham Karthikeyan over allegedly derogatory remarks.
The remarks were made at a protest on September 12 against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Cabinet colleague CTR Nimal Kumar.
A Raja has been charged with inciting violence between groups and acts disrupting public order.
A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said only: "We have registered a case. We cannot tell any more than this."
Raja's response: "Is this a question? If a case is filed, we have to face it."
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said the party has the right to criticise and attack the ruling party for its mistakes.
Elangovan alleged the government had no answer to Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin's questions on crimes, custodial deaths and attacks on women.
Elangovan said ministers did not defend their deeds but only attacked the DMK during the assembly session.

Timeline

September 12DMK leaders make the allegedly derogatory remarks against CM C Joseph Vijay and Minister CTR Nimal Kumar at a protest.
After the protestThe comments circulate widely on social media and trigger sharp reactions.
Assembly session (date not stated in the source)Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin raises crimes, custodial deaths and attacks on women; DMK says ministers only attacked the party.
SubsequentlyTamil Nadu Police register a case against Raja, Sekar Babu and Vasantham Karthikeyan; Raja charged with inciting violence and disrupting public order.

Who has a stake

A Raja, DMK leader — Charged with inciting violence between groups and acts disrupting public order; says if a case is filed they have to face it.
P K Sekar Babu and Vasantham Karthikeyan, DMK leaders — Booked over the allegedly derogatory remarks made at the September 12 protest.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Minister CTR Nimal Kumar — Targets of the allegedly derogatory remarks that led to the police case.
Tamil Nadu Police — Registered the case; declined to give details beyond confirming registration.
DMK (Opposition party) and spokesperson TKS Elangovan — Asserts the right to criticise the ruling party; alleges the government is acting only against the DMK.
Udhayanidhi Stalin, Leader of the Opposition — Raised questions in the Assembly on crimes, custodial deaths and attacks on women, which the DMK says went unanswered.

Why it matters

The case tests the line between political criticism of those in power and speech that the state treats as a threat to public order. With the DMK claiming it is being targeted for questioning the government on crime and custodial deaths, the episode shows how criminal law can become an instrument in the contest between ruling party and Opposition.

UPSC angle

Prelims pointers

DMK leaders A Raja, P K Sekar Babu and Vasantham Karthikeyan booked over remarks made at a September 12 protest.
Remarks targeted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Cabinet colleague CTR Nimal Kumar.
A Raja's charges: inciting violence between groups and acts disrupting public order.
Udhayanidhi Stalin is the Leader of the Opposition, as per the source.
TKS Elangovan is the DMK spokesperson quoted defending the party's right to criticise.

Mains framing

The booking of three DMK leaders for allegedly derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay raises the recurring question of where robust political criticism ends and criminally punishable speech begins. The immediate trigger was remarks at a September 12 protest that spread widely on social media; the charges against A Raja — inciting violence between groups and disrupting public order — belong to a category of offences that turn on likely consequences rather than mere offensiveness, which is why their use against Opposition speech invites scrutiny. The DMK's counter, voiced by TKS Elangovan, is that the government is acting only against the party while failing to answer the Leader of the Opposition's questions on crimes, custodial deaths and attacks on women, and has not filed cases against actual criminals — an allegation of selective policing. The way forward suggested by the facts is procedural rather than partisan: police must show, transparently, the material basis for public-order charges rather than confirming a case and declining detail; political actors on both sides must accept that accountability in the Assembly, not criminal complaints or personal invective at protests, is the proper arena for contesting a government's record.

Key terms

DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam): The Opposition party in Tamil Nadu whose leaders have been booked in this case.
Leader of the Opposition: Post held by Udhayanidhi Stalin, per the source; leads the Opposition side in the Assembly.
Inciting violence between groups: One of the offences A Raja is charged with, relating to speech that promotes hostility between groups.
Acts disrupting public order: The second charge against Raja, covering conduct alleged to disturb public tranquillity.
Custodial death: Death of a person in police or judicial custody; cited by the DMK among its charges against the government.

Practice questions

Where should the line be drawn between legitimate criticism of a government and speech punishable as a public-order offence? Discuss with reference to the case against the DMK leaders.
Critically examine the allegation of selective use of police powers against Opposition politicians, and suggest safeguards.
"The Assembly, not the police station, is the proper forum for holding a government accountable." Comment in the light of recent Tamil Nadu developments.

Grounded only in the source report — figures and dates are the source's, not inferred.

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