BJP state president K Annamalai said Krishnamurthy's comments were highly condemnable and demanded immediate action.
Published Jun 18, 2023 | 7:13 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 18, 2023 | 10:00 PM
Sivaji Krishnamurthy, Khushbu Sundar.
Hours after BJP leader and member of the National Commission for Women (NCW) flagged a DMK functionary’s speech as ‘lewd’ and ‘crass’, the ruling party in Tamil Nadu dismissed the party leader.
In a single-page statement, the DMK said Sivaji Krishnamurthy’s behaviour was a “violation of decorum” and he had been dismissed from the primary membership of the party.
BJP leader and actor Khushbu Sundar on Sunday, 18 June, slammed the DMK platform speaker for his purported remarks about her, taking exception to his “crass comments” and said the NCW, of which she is a member, would take up the matter by itself.
At a press meet hours after tweeting on the issue, she broke down and was visibly emotional throughout. Sundar said she has already taken up the matter with the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women.
Earlier, she uploaded a video of DMK speaker Sivaji Krishnamurthy on her Twitter page and said “The crass comments of this habitual offender show the political culture prevalent in DMK.”
“There are many like him in that rut. Abusing women, passing lewd cheap comments about them goes unchecked and is probably rewarded with more opportunities.”
Tagging Chief Minister MK Stalin, she said, “What you don’t realise is he not only insults me but you & a great leader like your father (the late M Karunanidhi). The more space you provide him, the more political space you will lose. Your party is becoming a safe haven for uncouth hooligans. It’s such a shame,” Sundar said.
Later, addressing the media, she questioned such a bad outlook on women and said she was talking for all women.
“Don’t be afraid. I am there, we (NCW, apparently) are there. I will stand up for you,” she said.
The crass comments of this habitual offender shows the political culture prevalent in DMK. There are many like him in that rut. Abusing women, passing lewd cheap comments about them goes unchecked and is probably rewarded with more opportunities. CM @mkstalin avl, will you accept… pic.twitter.com/vVNV5Cir4C
— KhushbuSundar (Modi ka Parivaar) (@khushsundar) June 18, 2023
The issue was not about a DMK man speaking ill of a BJP woman leader, but it was an attack on women.
“This is the new Dravida model. Such persons are being nurtured,” in the DMK, she said alluding to party president and Chief Minister Stalin’s oft-repeated assertion of delivering an inclusive and development-oriented model of governance.
BJP state president K Annamalai said Krishnamurthy’s comments about the Governor and Sundar “are highly condemnable, and we demand immediate action on this repeat offender.”
Level of public discourse in Tamil Nadu by DMK men. Thiru @mkstalin, how low will your partymen stoop?
Your popular propaganda & your actions are not in tandem.
The comments made on the Hon Governor of TN & BJP leader Tmt @khushsundar are highly condemnable, and we demand… https://t.co/3cG8VmDkGw pic.twitter.com/XCRyWe8VOE
— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) June 18, 2023
Annamalai also tweeted a clip, in which Krishnamurthy was purported to have made some remarks about the Governor in the light of the portfolio re-allocation in the TN Cabinet following the arrest of state minister V Senthil Balaji.
Krishnamurthy had earlier stoked a row over his controversial statements about Governor RN Ravi and was suspended from the party before it was revoked after he apologised.
After being flagged as a repeat offender, the DMK functionary has now been dismissed by the party from its primary membership.
(With PTI inputs)
