CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin’s ‘distasteful double-meaning remark’, delivered in response to chants of an actress’s name during a protest he led against chief minister C Joseph Vijay in Thanjavur on Monday, has ignited a controversy.Cabinet ministers, political leaders and lected representatives strongly condemned the DMK leader for his comments. TVK’s women’s Wing also filed a police complaint.Udhayanidhi Stalin, who also serves as Youth Wing Secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), spearheaded the protest in Thanjavur against the ruling TVK government’s handling of the Cauvery water-sharing dispute and Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project.He was joined by former ministers, sitting elected representatives, leaders of DMK allies, farmer organisations, party functionaries, farmers, and cadre members.During his address, Udhayanidhi Stalin launched a sharp attack on Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay, accusing him of showing little genuine interest in resolving the Cauvery water-sharing issue or safeguarding farmers’ agricultural interests. “The Chief Minister’s only concern is registering false cases against the DMK,” he declared.At that moment, a group of DMK cadres began chanting the name of a Tamil actress, seemingly implying that Vijay’s interests lay elsewhere.Udhayanidhi listened to the chants, smirked, and continued: “The water should come there, irrespective of where it is supposed to come from.”As the crowd erupted in cheers and laughter, Udhayanidhi sought to clarify: “No. I was referring only to the Cauvery,” which only intensified the cheering and laughter.Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks rapidly went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation. In a post on X, BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan asserted that resorting to ‘vulgar double meanings’ under the guise of criticising the Chief Minister must be condemned by everyone, irrespective of party affiliation.“Regardless of differing opinions or alternative viewpoints, a certain purity of thought is essential when offering criticism. If the thinking itself is this filthy, it does not bode well for the DMK,” Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan stated. She further noted that the public expects political civility and civilised discourse.Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President and Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore described the language used by Udhayanidhi Stalin in Thanjavur as “unacceptable.” He called on the DMK leader to retract his statements and issue an unconditional apology.TVK party leaders also joined the chorus of criticism. Tamil Nadu’s Public Works Department Minister Aadhav Arjuna characterised Udhayanidhi’s speech as vulgar and disgraceful. He said the speech lacks most basic human dignity and is unbecoming of Leader of the Opposition “No mother, elder sister, younger sister, or parent in Tamil Nadu will ever accept such degrading remarks,” Aadhav Arjuna said.Tamil Nadu health minister Dr K G Arunraj observed that Udhayanidhi’s speech demeans the entire farming community dependent on the Cauvery, all women, and human society at large. “This is the DNA of the DMK,” he remarked.Former BJP state president K. Annamalai commented: “Yesterday, while cleaning the Vaigai river, I wondered whether there could be worse pollution than this. Then I heard Udhayanidhi Stalin’s speech.”Meanwhile, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party’s Women’s Wing registered a police complaint in Thanjavur, stating that Udhayanidhi’s remark has insulted and degraded women.
