"I had turned emotional," BJP's H Raja said, apologising to Madras High Court for "scandalous" remarks
Highlights
- BJP leader H Raja was caught on camera abusing the police and judges
- Madras High Court took note of video, called his remarks "scandalous"
- Mr Raja offered his unconditional apology to court today for the remarks
BJP leader H Raja, caught on camera abusing the police and the judiciary, apologised to the Madras High Court today, saying he had "spoken in a fit of rage".
The leader appeared in court to offer his unconditional apology in a document. The court, which had taken note of a video of his comments that was widely circulated online, dropped its contempt case against him.
"I had turned emotional," Mr Raja, the National Secretary of the BJP, said, appearing before High Court judges CT Selvam and M Nirmal Kumar.
Earlier, Mr Raja had claimed that the video was fake.
The politician was seen in the video screaming at two policemen when he was stopped from taking a Ganesh Chaturthi procession through a communally sensitive area, where such processions had been banned by the court.
Mr Raja was heard accusing the police of bribe-taking and also abusing the court using derogatory phrases. He called the police "anti-Hindu and highly corrupt".
The court took note of the video on September 17 and called the BJP leader's remarks "scandalous". Any attempt at disrespecting the judiciary could encourage fascism, the court said, summoning him.