Published Feb 17, 2026 | 12:17 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 17, 2026 | 12:17 PM
Karur BJP president VV Senthilnathan (L) and Congress MP Jothimani. Credit: x.com/VVSenthilnathan, x.com/jothims
Synopsis: Congress MP S Jothimani shared a video from a BJP protest in Karur, where the saffron party’s district president VV Senthilnathan is caught making obscene, derogatory remarks portraying women in politics—including her—as prostitutes lacking merit or dignity. Jothimani condemned it as systemic misogyny by the BJP-RSS. An FIR was registered against Senthilnathan for insulting women, though he denied the claims and refused to apologise, sparking outrage.
A fresh political row has erupted in Tamil Nadu after Karur Congress MP S Jothimani publicly accused BJP’s district president VV Senthilnathan of making highly derogatory, obscene, and sexually explicit remarks against her during a public protest.
On Monday, 16 February, Jothimani shared a video clip on X from a BJP demonstration held near the Head Post Office in Karur on 10 February.
In the clip, which she described as “obscene and deeply repulsive,” Senthilnathan allegedly portrayed women in public life—including Jothimani—as prostitutes, denying them any independent merit, hard work, experience, or dignity.
The remarks were reportedly part of a speech criticising Opposition leaders, including references to Jothimani and Rahul Gandhi. The clip, from a BJP corner meeting, purportedly shows Senthilnathan making insinuations and sexually degrading comments against Jothimani and urging voters to “discard her”.
In a detailed thread accompanying the video, Jothimani strongly condemned the comments, framing them not as an isolated personal attack but as symptomatic of a broader pattern of misogyny in Indian politics.
She said her own journey began from a humble farming family raised by a single mother, entering politics at age 21 without family backing or wealth, serving 10 years as a panchayat union councillor, another decade as national general secretary of Youth Congress, and now serving her seventh year as MP from Karur after winning in 2019 and being re-elected.
I am releasing this obscene and deeply repulsive video, in which the Karur District President of the BJP, Mr Senthil Nathan, speaks about me, with full awareness and firm resolve. I am making it public because only then can society respond with the anger and condemnation that men… pic.twitter.com/ybAUXQvn4b
— Jothimani (@jothims) February 16, 2026
“I work 15 hours a day with almost no leave, even after my mother’s sudden death,” she wrote. “But for people like him, none of this matters because I am a woman—a body, a sexual object, nothing else.”
She accused the BJP and RSS ideology of deliberately using sexually degrading language, threats, and humiliation to silence women, drive them out of public spaces, politics, and leadership roles.
Jothimani announced that a police complaint had been filed, leading to an FIR registered against Senthilnathan under multiple sections, including those related to insulting women and disturbing public peace.
Responding to the allegations, Senthilnathan denied making inappropriate remarks, claiming his speech was “misunderstood” and refusing to apologise.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from Congress leaders and supporters, who called it a reflection of toxic mindset within the BJP-RSS ecosystem.
