Had no intention of disparaging women, says Udhayanidhi Stalin

DMK youth wing leader and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was released on station bail on Tuesday night after being arrested on a complaint of making misogynistic remarks, maintained he did not intend to hurt or disparage anyone, especially women. He accused the TVK government of foisting the case against him to divert attention from the issues faced by farmers that he had raised during the protest in Thanjavur on August 3.

“My parents did not raise me like that. I have a wife, daughter, sister and a family. I treat all women as my family, mother or sibling,” he told journalists before boarding a flight to Chennai at the Tiruchi International Airport.

He thanked the DMK president M K Stalin, party office bearers and alliance leaders who “understood” him and condemned his arrest. “My only regret is some leaders, without hearing or examining my speech fully, have condemned my remarks as wrong. I did not speak in double entendre as alleged by some. I spoke straight. I only said water has not been released in the Cauvery and wanted it to be released in the river. I will say this again and again and will not be cowed down by such foisted cases. I will face this legally,” Mr.Udhayanidhi asserted. He added the present government, as a policy, used diversionary tactics to divert public attention from burning issues.

The government, which he termed as a ‘circus,’ had foisted the case for speaking in favour of farmers and was unable to reply to the issues he had raised during the party protest in Thanjavur on Monday. “On Tuesday morning, they cut and paste what I had not spoke and spread it even in national media. They arrested me and took me all the way to Sengipatti as if I was a terrorist. They let me off after asking various queries,” he said.

Chief Minister C.Joseph Vijay does not know the history of DMK. “The people are watching and they will give a fitting reply,” he maintained.

Asked what would be the DMK’s strategy henceforth, Mr.Udhayanidhi said he and other party leaders will meet the party president M.K.Stalin and act according to his advice.