C Joseph Vijay criticises MK Stalin over derogatory remarks about TVK candidate

Chief minister and TVK leader C Joseph Vijay on Saturday accused DMK president MK Stalin of making “indecent” and derogatory remarks about TVK’s Dharapuram bypoll candidate P Sathyabama at an election meeting in the constituency.

In a post on X, Vijay alleged that Stalin mocked Sathyabama’s appearance and made objectionable remarks about her while addressing the campaign meeting. Accusing the DMK of promoting what he described as an “obscene, violent and perverse” political culture, Vijay said Stalin had, through his remarks, admitted to being responsible for such a culture in the party.

Calling the DMK “anti-democratic”, Vijay alleged that obscenity, violence and perversion had become part of the party’s political discourse and said people of Tamil Nadu had been witnessing it for years. Vijay also accused DMK leaders of repeatedly making derogatory remarks about women, including in their presence, without bothering about their feelings.

“The people of Tamil Nadu, particularly voters of Dharapuram, would give a fitting reply to the DMK in the Oct 6 bypoll,” he said, adding that he was voicing his protest as a “son and brother” of the women of the state.

Meanwhile, TVK general secretary (election management) and minister Aadhav Arjuna warned that legal action would be taken against former CM MK Stalin and leader of opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin if they did not stop making derogatory comments against women. Arjuna submitted a formal complaint to the chief electoral officer against Stalin, alleging that he had body-shamed Sathyabama, the TVK candidate for Dharapuram.

Speaking to the press after filing the complaint, Arjuna said that while they respected the DMK leader, Stalin had increasingly resorted to denigrating women at a level unseen over the past five years. He said that following the election commission complaint, TVK planned to file a formal criminal complaint against the DMK chief. Arjuna warned that continued disparaging remarks targeting women by Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin would invite severe legal consequences.