BJP distances itself from Raja, disapproves Periyar post

CHENNAI: With protests against BJP national secretary H Raja’s objectionable post against Periyar spreading, an embarrassed BJP resorted to damage control and distanced itself from the leader.
From Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national president Amit Shah to Tamil Nadu BJP leaders, all expressed displeasure through statements and posts on social media. Shah called up Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan twice since morning before putting out a strong message for action against party workers vandalising statues.

Tamilisai expelled a party functionary of Tirupathur panchayat union for vandalising a statue. “We are not endorsing Raja’s view. We object to whatever posts appeared on social media that don’t toe our line. There may be ideological differences, but the contribution of the leaders to the country should be respected,” Soundararajan said.

With both houses of the Parliament in uproar for two days over bank fraud, special status for Andhra Pradesh and setting up of the Cauvery board, the BJP swung into action with statements of Modi condemning the vandalism and stern action against those found guilty.

Modi spoke to Union home minister Rajnath Singh and expressed strong disapproval of such incidents. The ministry told the states to take necessary action to prevent such incidents. “We as a party are for fights on an ideological platform, we are not for bringing down statues,” Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan said.

The BJP youth wing vice president S G Suryah also deactivated his Twitter handle after making provocative remarks against the Periyar statue.

Party sources said Raja was “told to remove the post as it was not in consonance with party ideologies and publish a clarification”. Earlier in the day, party general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu, Muralidhar Rao tweeted, “BJP does not subscribe to any kind of provoking or disrespectful statements and actions of vandalism towards leaders like Periyar. We condemn those people who are indulging in such actions.”

BJP general secretary, Vanathi Srinivasan said, “We do not endorse the Facebook post. It is a nation of unity in diversity. All the ideologies can coexist and we believe in democracy.”