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Remove Raja: Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on Thursday demanded the removal of Union Minister for Communications A. Raja on the issue of a telephonic call made by a Union Minister to a Madras High Court Judge.

In a statement, she said that though the Judge had not named the Minister, it did not require superhuman intelligence to conclude that the Minister was Mr. Raja.

“This is the first time in India’s history that a High Court Judge had levelled complaints of intimidation by a Union Minister. It would be proper only if such a Minister is removed from the Union Cabinet.”

(On Monday when the case pertaining to an anticipatory bail plea by a medico and his doctor-father came up, the High Court Judge R. Reghupathi, said a Union Minister tried to influence him to pass orders favouring the petitioners. The prosecution case was that the medico, Kiruba Shridhar and his father, Krishnamurthy, were wanted in connection with alleged manipulation of answer sheets in the ophthalmology examination in the III year of the MBBS course.)

Expressing shock over the Judge’s disclosure, she said the Prime Minister would be doing great harm to the country and democracy if he remained a mute spectator to such undesirable and unlawful activities.

Reacting to the allegations, Mr. Raja described them as baseless and politically motivated.