AIADMK MP’s Unsavoury Remarks Draws Flak
Controversial comments targeting CM M. K. Stalin’s slogan draw sharp criticism amid women’s safety protest.
Chennai: Leaders across the political spectrum pounced on AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP C .V. Shanmugham for his tasteless remark, denigrating popular film actress Nayanthara and ridiculing Chief Minister M K Stalin, at a protest rally organized by the NDA at Villupuram on Tuesday.
Addressing the rally, Shanmugham, notorious for his controversial speeches, referred to the ‘Tell us your dreams’ scheme launched by Stalin to find out the needs of the people and asked if the Chief Minister would be able to get him Nayanthara, in a bid to drive home the point that the government would not be able to satisfy everyone’s needs.
Though the widespread backlash to his statement prompted Shanmugham, who had also asked in the speech if the Chief Minister would arrange the marriage of Nayanthara to all the men who wanted to marry her, to apologize quickly, politicians ceaselessly attacked him and the criticism poured in from all directions unabated.
People from all walks of life unleashed a barrage of criticism against him for his unsavoury reference to the actress to running down the ruling DMK government with the AIADMK refusing to defend him in any form. DMK spokesman, T K S Elangovan said that it showed the cheap mindset of the MP and what was uttered was absolutely wrong
The South Indian Artistes Association, with actors M Nasser and Vishal at the helm, wanted the politician to give a guarantee that he would not dishonor women through his speeches in future and demanded an open apology.
The artiste’s association said that this was the epoch of women that had seen women excelling in all fields and also leading the nation and State and that the remark was an uncivilized act unbecoming of a political leader to denigrate women talent.
Political leaders of TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Congress MP Jothimani, CPM MLA K Balabharathi were among the multitude of leaders who reacted angrily to Shanmugham’s statement.
Social media was also agog with the controversy with several people hitting out at the AIADMK MP, who buckled under pressure said that he mentioned the name of the actress by mistake and that he had no bad intentions.
In his fiery speech at the Villupuram protest, Shanmugham had otherwise demanded the arrest of DMK Ministers.
