CHENNAI: VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Wednesday (September 9)criticised Chief Minister and TVK president C Joseph Vijay’s body language during his reply to the police demands in the Assembly, saying such gestures were undignified and against human dignity.
The VCK leader’s remarks came amid criticism of Vijay’s gestures, which were seen as mocking DMK president and former Chief Minister MK Stalin.
The criticism had earlier been voiced by CPM state secretary P Shanmugam on September 7, who said it was irresponsible for the Chief Minister to mock Stalin, who was subjected to police brutality during the Emergency.
“History knows that major struggles were held across India to protect democracy during the Emergency, followed by repression and excesses. During the Emergency, former Chief Minister MK Stalin was severely assaulted by the police and his jaw was fractured. Whoever speaks in a manner that mocks his appearance deserves condemnation. For the Chief Minister himself to have done so is irresponsible,” Shanmugam had said.
Vijay subsequently clarified that his body language while replying to the police demands on September 7 was spontaneous and had no ulterior motive.
He said it should not be interpreted as an act intended to hurt anyone personally.
Thirumavalavan, however, said the clarification did not alter the VCK’s position that such body language was not a dignified approach.
“Reducing or hurting a person’s self-respect under any circumstances is not civilised. Political criticism of an individual is different from criticism that personally hurts a person’s dignity,” he said.
He said even an ordinary person without social, economic or political power should not be subjected to an approach that could hurt his dignity.
“Respecting elders in the Assembly is one of the highest forms of human dignity. Therefore, it would be appropriate for the Chief Minister, who holds a position of great responsibility, to be extremely careful about his body language in the future,” Thirumavalavan said.
He also criticised remarks made by the Law Minister during a discussion on the following day, when the DMK sought the removal of certain portions of the Chief Minister’s speech from the Assembly records.
Thirumavalavan described the minister’s remarks concerning the MISA period and the DMK leadership as a “historical error”.
“The nature of State repression during the MISA period is known to the entire country. Recording completely erroneous views about the DMK president, who was subjected to that brutal repression, is condemnable,” he said.
Thirumavalavan urged the Law Minister to announce the withdrawal of the remarks.