Published Aug 15, 2026 | 5:39 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 15, 2026 | 5:39 PM
Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran took politics to a new low with his comment.
Synopsis: Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran’s controversial remarks about Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and his mother have triggered widespread political backlash, with Annamalai, Manickam Tagore and several Tamil Nadu ministers condemning the comments.
Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran’s controversial remarks targeting Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and his mother have sparked a political backlash, with BJP’s former state president K Annamalai and Tamil Nadu Congress president Manickam Tagore condemning the comments.
A woman lawyer, meanwhile, lodged a police complaint seeking legal action against Nagendran.
The controversy erupted after Nagendran made the remarks while addressing the launch of the BJP’s digital magazine “One Nation 2.0” at Kamalalayam, the BJP’s state headquarters, in Chennai on Saturday, 15 August.
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While criticising the ruling establishment, Nagendran referred to people allegedly asking in the Assembly, “Where is father? Where is father?”
He then said that if they went home and asked their mother, she would tell them who their father was, adding that searching for a father in the Assembly would not yield an answer.
The remarks were widely criticised as a personal attack on Chief Minister Vijay and a derogatory reference to his mother.
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Tamil Nadu’s former BJP president and We The Leaders organiser K Annamalai strongly condemned the remark, saying that political discourse in Tamil Nadu should not cross the limits of decency.
Annamalai said political leaders could disagree with one another, criticise policies and question the functioning of a government, but should remain responsible for their words and actions.
He said bringing a politician’s family members, particularly their mother, into political attacks was unacceptable.
Annamalai further said such low-level political rhetoric belonged to a form of politics that had lost relevance decades ago. He argued that Tamil Nadu’s youth and children should not be exposed to such “third-rate politics.”
Tamil Nadu Congress president Manickam Tagore also condemned Nagendran’s remarks, describing them as a result of “the peak of political frustration.”
Tagore said speaking in an uncivilised and derogatory manner was not an isolated occurrence involving Nagendran and had allegedly become a recurring practice.
He accused the BJP state president of insulting women to attract public attention. He demanded an immediate, unconditional public apology to both the people of Tamil Nadu and Chief Minister Vijay.
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Ministers condemn Nainar Nagendran’s remarks
Several ministers in the Tamil Nadu Cabinet have also condemned Nagendran’s controversial remarks.
Speaking to reporters, Health and Family Welfare Minister KG Arun Raj was asked about Nagendran’s comments. Responding to the criticism, he said the government would answer through its performance.
“We have been providing good governance. We will respond to him through our actions. When they are unable to attract the attention of the people, this is how they behave. My wishes to him,” Raj said.
School Education Minister Rajmohan Arumugam also criticised Nagendran’s remarks, stressing that political leaders should speak according to the position they hold.
“Leaders should speak in a manner befitting the position they hold. No matter how much they pursue uncivilised politics, our leader Vijay has taught us only the politics of dignity,” Arumugam said.
He further alleged that the remarks had exposed what he described as an indirect understanding between the BJP and the DMK.
“The way they are speaking reveals the BJP-DMK’s indirect friendship,” he said.
Ministers from Tamil Nadu’s ruling alliance have also spoken out against Nagendran’s remarks.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader and Minister Vanni Arasu condemned the comments and demanded Nagendran’s apology.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) Minister AM Shahjahan also slammed the BJP state president. He demanded that the BJP remove Nagendran from his post.
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Separately, Vardhini, who identified herself as a lawyer practising in Chennai, has lodged a complaint with the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, seeking legal action against Nagendran.
The complaint was submitted through the online police complaint/cybercrime portal.
Vardhini said she watched the video of Nagendran’s speech and was deeply distressed by the remarks concerning Vijay and his mother. She said she was filing the complaint in the public interest and described the comments as defamatory, derogatory and disrespectful.
According to the complaint, the video and audio recordings of the speech were circulating on social media and online media platforms, and the relevant recordings have been cited or submitted as evidence.
The complainant asked the police to obtain and preserve the complete video and audio recordings of Nagendran’s speech and examine the context in which the remarks were made.
She also requested an investigation into whether the remarks violate any applicable provisions of Indian law.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
