Ex-minister takes a dig at Thanjavur Mayor for falling at Udhayanidhi’s feet

MADURAI: Former minister and Thirumangalam MLA RB Udhayakumar criticised the gesture of Thanjavur Corporation Mayor Ramanathan, who recently touched the feet of Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK youth wing secretary cum MLA. He wondered whether it’s a ‘Dravidian Model.’

Despite the fine robes, the Mayor genuflected before Stalin junior and it was evident that self-respect tossed in the air, Udhayakumar said in Madurai on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters, he said, while the politicians representing AIADMK were ridiculed for touching the feet of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa during her tenure as a meaningless gesture, the DMK has now followed suit. Udhayanidhi Stalin during his recent schedule in Thanjavur did not even stop the Mayor from touching his feet, but he accepted it with a smile. Citing these, Udhayakumar asked how could the DMK, which advocated the need for self-respect, come out of it and explain about it.

Mayor is a representative of the public and he questioned the right of the Mayor to touch the feet of Udhayanidhi Stalin.

However, there’s a tradition of elders blessing whenever younger generations bow down to touch their feet as a mark of respect, but it’s different in the case at Thanjavur, Udhayakumar said. He also criticised the road laying works in a hasty manner in Vellore ahead of Chief Minister MK Stalin’s programme.