Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A DMK leader has been booked for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay at a party event, news agency Press Trust of India reported, citing police. The ruling TVK accused the opposition party of turning political platforms into spaces for personal attacks.
The case was registered against Chennai Corporation ward councillor Sudha Deenadayalan, who allegedly made the remarks, and DMK functionary Muralidharan, who organised the October 7 event in Chennai.
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No arrests have been made so far, police told PTI.
Deenadayalan, the DMK’s Chennai East District Women’s Wing organiser, allegedly targeted Vijay after he criticised DMK president MK Stalin. Police said she addressed the Chief Minister in the singular and made derogatory remarks.
Video clips circulated on social media purportedly showed her using abusive language and making personal remarks comparing physical appearances while defending her party leadership.
According to a Greater Chennai City Police release, the case was registered after TVK Harbour Area Secretary Udayakumar filed a complaint seeking action against Deenadayalan and Muralidharan. Deenadayalan was booked for allegedly seeking to incite public disorder.
The comments were made in the presence of DMK deputy general secretary and MP Kanimozhi, former state minister PK Sekar Babu and Chennai Mayor R Priya. Visuals appeared to show Sekar Babu and Priya laughing during the speech.
TVK leaders and ministers condemned the remarks and demanded an apology from the senior DMK leaders who shared the stage.
Kanimozhi later said politicians should not define their character by the behaviour of their political opponents. The DMK also shared a video claiming that Kanimozhi and Sekar Babu had reprimanded Deenadayalan after the programme and asked her to maintain political decorum.
TVK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna strongly condemned the DMK. He said, “The DMK is mired in ugly, vile language” and alleged that its political platforms had become “disgusting.”
Questioning Stalin’s silence, Arjuna asked whether the former chief minister was choosing to ignore such incidents or was secretly “enjoying and encouraging” the remarks.
“The woman speaker has stooped to a political low while Mayor Priya, who held a responsible position, is laughing and enjoying it. Mrs Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, who is the DMK deputy general secretary, is keeping her head down and remaining silent. On the one hand, she did not condemn the speaker, but on the other hand, the standard of today’s DMK dais is such that Mrs Kanimozhi herself is unable to listen to the speeches of her own party members and bows her head,” Arjuna said.
Calling for legal action, he said, “I strongly emphasise that such indecent acts of the DMK should be stopped immediately through legal means. Only then will democracy and healthy politics be strengthened. Therefore, legal action should be taken immediately against the woman speaker who spoke in an indecent manner on the DMK platform.”
At the event, Kanimozhi also spoke about the principles of the Dravidian movement and the DMK’s identity. She referred to social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy, former chief minister CN Annadurai and former chief minister M Karunanidhi, saying the party’s political identity was deeply rooted and did not need validation or fear competition from newly formed parties.
Kanimozhi also criticised the quality of debate in the Assembly. She alleged that the ruling party failed to answer the opposition’s questions and instead turned legislative proceedings into a performance for social media content.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
