DMK leader A Raja regrets comments on TVK minister Nirmal Kumar after row

Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader A Raja on Sunday expressed regret over his remarks on Tamil Nadu minister CTR Nirmal Kumar during a public rally, following backlash from several quarters including his own party.

The DMK deputy general secretary, while taking part in a protest organised by his party on Saturday to condemn the speech of chief minister C Joseph Vijay in the assembly, made some derogatory remarks against the minister for natural resources and law CTR Nirmal Kumar over him switching parties. Several parties, including the Congress and the Left, slammed him for the remarks, as well as DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi.

Raja, without naming Kumar, said in a social media post on Sunday that he also regretted “questioning him.” The sacrifices of Stalin were intentionally and repeatedly degraded and mocked as a “lie”, he said, without mentioning the state minister and his earlier statement questioning Stalin’s detention under MISA.

The former Union minister said he was driven by an impulse of emotion, and in order to convey the “pain” (caused by Kumar’s statement), he had made that comment.

Raja said: “I have no hesitation in withdrawing my words.”Apparently warning Kumar, the DMK leader also said: “If you do not change, you will be corrected.”

Minister for energy resources and law CTR Nirmal Kumar, responding to the remark made by Raja said: “Whenever questions are raised against the DMK about corruption and lies, the weapon it takes up is either violence or obscene speech. The people will soon write the DMK’s failure in politics.”