Chennai, Sep 21 (IANS): The Coimbatore district head of the BJP, Balaji Uthamarasamy was arrested by the police on Wednesday for threatening DMK leader and former Union Minister, A. Raja.

The BJP leader had threatened Raja on the latter's remarks against Hinduism during a function held to felicitate Dravidar Kazhagam leader, K. Veeramani.

On Monday also Raja had come out against Sanatana Dharma and had reportedly said, "Only Upper caste Hindus speak about Sanatana Dharma. It is based on Manusmriti which calls backward classes as Shudras".

The BJP leader had dared Raja to step into Coimbatore without police escort.

In the speech Balaji Uthamarasami said, "I challenge DMK to bring A. Raja anywhere, what do you know about Sanatana Dharam, senseless ..."

Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam leaders had filed a petition in the Peelamedu police station against Balaji Uthamarasami stating that he had threatened former Union Minister A. Raja as well as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and used derogatory words against these leaders as well as the ideologue of the Dravidian movement, late E.V. Ramasamy Naicker aka Thanthai Periyar.

Uthamarasami was called to the Peelamedu police station for questioning on Wednesday morning and later arrested. The BJP cadres were thronging in large numbers to the police station against the arrest of the party district leader.

The Hindu Munnani had called for a hartal in the Nilgiris Parliament constituency of A. Raja against his derogatory remarks against Hinduism. The hartal was a huge success with almost all the shops in Nilgiris, Connor shut down and fifty per cent of shops and establishments in Udhagamandalam (Ooty) also closed down. Several foreign and domestic tourists were stranded due to the shutdown call.