The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded action against the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government in Tamil Nadu after a leader from the ruling party made sexist remarks against actor-turned-politicians of the BJP in the state.
The DMK leader’s remarks sparked a major controversy in Tamil Nadu, forcing DMK MP Kanimozhi to apologise to state BJP leader Khushbu Sundar on Twitter.
In an undated video clip viral on the social media, DMK leader Saidai Sadiq made derogatory remarks against the BJP for “depending” on four Tamil actresses – Khushbu, Namitha, Gayathri Raghuram and Gautami Tadimalla. The gathering was also attended by Mano Thiyagarajan, the Tamil Nadu minister for information technology and digital services. Sadiq also spoke of how Sundar has jumped from the DMK to the Congress before joining the BJP in 2020.
Sundar, who has been vocal about her opinions in all three parties took to Twitter on Thursday to condemn the DMK functionary’s remarks and tagged DMK’s newly elevated deputy general secretary Kanimozhi.
“When men abuse women, it just shows what kind of upbringing they have had & the toxic environment they were brought up in,” Khushbu said. “These men insult the womb of a woman. Such men call themselves followers of #Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi). Is this new Dravidian model under CM M K Stalin rule?”
Kanimozhi apologised to Sundar and “I apologise as a woman and human being for what was said,” Kanimozhi said on Thursday. “This can never be tolerated irrespective of whoever did it, of the space it was said or the party they adhere to. And I’m able to openly apologise for this because my leader @mkstalin and my party @arivalayam don’t condone this.”
On Friday, DMK’s IT wing secretary and MLA TRB Rajaa took to Twitter and said, “Condemnable words from an orator and am sure none in the party leadership will accept such words. While we in the DMK are quick to condemn such acts it’s shameful that the #Sangithva brigade uses cheap, crass words freely in its opposition. Not a word said by their women leaders.”
BJP Tamil Nadu vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy said that DMK president and chief minister M K Stalin should have ordered for the arrest of the concerned party leader.
“Will a mere apology and distancing from the comment correct the wrong doing?” Thirupathy asked. “Tamil Nadu police by now should have arrested that person under Women Harassment Act who spoke filthily against women. If that is not done, the comments made by Kanimozhi do not have much importance. We also request Kanimozhi to initiate action against the party member and throw him out of the party so that no one dares to repeat this ever. If no action is taken immediately, the people of Tamil Nadu will conclude that the DMK is an anti-women and male chauvinist party.”
