Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday, September 7, came down heavily on the use of personal attacks and derogatory language against women in politics. Speaking in the Assembly, Vijay said that abusive remarks, double-meaning comments and defamatory statements targeting women would not be tolerated and could lead to strict legal action.
Vijay was speaking while concluding the debate on the demands for grants for the Home department, which is handled by him. During his speech, he brought up the alleged humiliation of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa inside the Assembly in 1989, when the DMK was in power. He said such an incident should never be repeated and that bad political practices from the past cannot be used to justify similar behaviour today.
Vijay issues strict warning about personal attack on women after Stalin’s indirect dig
The Chief Minister also appeared to refer to the recent controversy surrounding a prominent female actor, though he did not name her. His comments came amid a larger debate over the kind of language being used against women in public life.
“Under the guise of politics, to those who personally disrespect our people, women or anyone else and speak in a very low and degrading manner, my request is please don’t do that. Recently, in Tamil Nadu, it seems as though a river of vulgarity and hatred is continuously flowing. Being abusive about women, making defamatory remarks, and using double-meaning words, is wrong,” Vijay said without directly naming anyone.
He said there was nothing wrong with strong political criticism as long as it remained within limits. Personal attacks and defamatory comments against women, however, were unacceptable. “I want to tell those who do this just one thing,” the chief minister said.
Vijay’s comments come weeks after DMK leader and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin was arrested and later released on station bail over his “double-meaning” remarks, which were seen as a reference to actor Trisha. Stalin had made the comments while addressing party workers during a protest over the Cauvery issue.
Vijay also spoke about the importance of women in his political journey and made it clear that he would not remain silent when they were targeted. “I will not tolerate any abusive language against them. There can be harsh political criticism, but there should not be any defamatory remarks against women. The public is watching every move,” Vijay said.
He also criticised comments involving physical threats, including remarks about “breaking bones”. Vijay said such statements showed a lack of respect for the people’s democratic mandate.
Taking a dig at the DMK, Vijay later quoted the late Tamil poet and lyricist Kannadasan while speaking about the opposition’s conduct. He also referred to political events from the past, including the Maintenance of Internal Security Act, or MISA.
“Speaking lies, taking money, and carrying bags, was what the legendary Tamil poet and lyricist Kannadasan had described the DMK’s behaviour,” Vijay said.
Vijay then spoke about law and order in Tamil Nadu
The Chief Minister then shifted focus to law and order and said the progress of Tamil Nadu could not be measured only through roads, factories and other infrastructure. He said a state’s development should also be judged by how safe and free its people feel in their everyday lives.
Vijay said the police play an important role in maintaining social stability and supporting economic growth. He said the force should be approachable for law-abiding citizens while making sure those who break the law face consequences.
He also said there would be no political interference in policing and that everyone would be treated equally before the law, regardless of their political affiliation. At the same time, Vijay said his government was willing to listen to constructive criticism from members of the Assembly.
On crime involving young people, the Chief Minister referred to the recent murder of a student in Coimbatore. He said 36 people had been arrested in connection with the case and reiterated his government’s zero-tolerance approach towards crime.
However, Vijay said simply blaming students would not solve the problem. He pointed to factors such as lack of family support, peer pressure, social media exposure, substance abuse and limited awareness of the law as some of the reasons that can push youngsters towards crime.
He also said it was wrong to label the entire student community with terms such as “drug culture”. Instead, he said the government would take on the role of a responsible guardian and work towards helping young people choose a better path.
(With inputs from PTI)
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