Tamil Nadu CM C. Joseph Vijay slams abusive language against women, raises ED letter in Assembly

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay grew visibly agitated in the state Assembly on Monday while replying to the demand for grants for the police department, departing from his prepared remarks to condemn what he called a "river of abuse" being directed at women in public discourse. His comments came in the middle of a broader political slugfest with the DMK, weeks after a controversy over remarks made about actress Trisha.

Vijay told the House that harsh political criticism was acceptable, but personal and defamatory attacks on women were not, adding that he would not tolerate abusive language against them regardless of who it came from.

Speaking extempore during his reply, the Chief Minister said he wanted to address the tone of certain recent speeches in public life. "Don't make personal attacks on others and women," he said, adding that people across Tamil Nadu were watching how some public figures were using "double-meaning language" against women. He urged everyone to conduct themselves "properly."

Vijay went on to say that women had played a central role in his own political success. "Women are the main reason behind my political victory. I will not tolerate any abusive language against women. There can be harsh political criticism, but there should not be any defamatory remarks against women," he told the Assembly.

The Chief Minister also referred to the treatment meted out to former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa inside the Assembly in the past, saying she had faced "many issues" within the House itself. He said harsh political comments were part of democratic debate, but recalled a remark by an MLA about "breaking bones," telling DMK members that such language was the reason they now sat on the opposition benches. The reference drew protests from DMK members present in the House.

Vijay also invoked poet Kannadasan's words about the DMK, saying they captured what the party represented, according to reports from inside the Assembly. He further referred to a purported remark by a DMK member suggesting that people who did not vote for the party would not get a "good death," saying he found it difficult to understand how anyone could make such a statement. He was said to be speaking in a louder, more aggressive tone at this point.

Returning to the substance of his reply on the police department's grants, Vijay read out portions of a letter he said was sent by the Enforcement Directorate to the Tamil Nadu government. He said the opposition had earlier demanded proof for allegations of a "party fund" being collected through contracts, and that the proof was contained in an ED document that had in fact been sent during the DMK government's own tenure.

Citing the letter, Vijay alleged that 7.5 to 10 percent was collected as party fund in contracts awarded during the DMK regime. He reiterated the allegation while reading out extracts of the letter in the House.

On law and order, Vijay said the police department was important not just for safety and security but for the state's overall growth. He referred to the murder of a student in a Coimbatore college, noting that 36 people had been arrested in connection with the case. He said opposition parties tended to use such incidents to target the ruling government, but maintained that the crimes reported over the past three months had not occurred all at once and were driven by pre-existing enmity and revenge rather than a breakdown in law and order.

He added that the police should not function as a "power centre" but as protectors of the people, and said that regardless of which party a wrongdoer belonged to, action would be taken against them. "We believe that everybody is equal before law," he said.

Through his reply, Vijay repeatedly appealed for what he called "political decency and decorum" in the Assembly, contrasting this with the personal remarks he said had been made by some opposition members. He said Tamil Nadu was his home and its eight crore people were his relatives, adding that his government would work for them alone.