Tamil Nadu Minister and senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader K Ponmudy was immediately removed from a key party post on Friday (April 11) in the wake of a row over his remarks on 'sex workers', 'Shaivism' and 'Vaishnavism' that drew widespread criticism and also triggered furious row, including from DMK MP Kanimozhi and BJP state president K Annamalai. DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that K Ponmudy was being relieved from the party's deputy general secretary post. Stalin made the announcement but did not attribute any reasons for the action.
He named Rajya Sabha member Tiruchi Siva as Ponmudy's replacement. Siva was relieved from his Propaganda Secretary post as per party rules.
K Ponmudy's viral video
The move came close on the heels of the minister's distasteful remarks, leading to a controversy, with the opposition BJP demanding Ponmudy's sacking from the cabinet. A video of the minister making the purported remarks in the context of a sex worker has gone viral. There was no immediate response from Ponmudy, the state Forest minister.
Ponmudy's remark not acceptable: Kanimozhi
Kanimozhi hit out at her party colleague, saying, "The recent speech of minister Ponmudy is not acceptable."
"For whatever reason he had spoken, such vulgar words are condemnable," she said in a post on X.
BJP's Annamalai criticises Ponmudi's comment
Reacting to the controversy, Annamalai said, "This is DMK’s standard of political discourse in Tamil Nadu." "Thiru Ponmudi was once the Higher Education Minister of Tamil Nadu & now Minister for Forests and Khadi, and the youth of Tamil Nadu are expected to tolerate this filth? Not just this Minister, the entire DMK ecosystem is vulgar, foul-mouthed, and uncouth." he said in a post on 'X.
By removing him from a party post today, if DMK thinks people will move on, "they are sadly mistaken," he added.
"DMK's relentless attacks on the pillars of Hindu Dharma (Saivam & Vainavam) won't go unanswered forever. Don't take our silence for weakness, Thiru @mkstalin," he said.
Tamil Nadu BJP VP thanks CM Stalin for taking quick action against Ponmudy
Narayanan Thirupathy, Vice-President of the BJP's TN unit said on a social media post said, "Minister Ponmudy continuing in his post is shameful. CM Stalin, will you order Ponmudy's arrest." He has maligned the women of Tamil Nadu with his comments, the BJP leader alleged. Thirupathy welcomed Kanimozhi criticising Ponmudy.
Ponmudy's previous controversial comment on North Indians
Ponmudy was also involved in controversy, linking North Indians with selling 'pani puri'. Taking a dig at those who insist jobs will be available for those who learn Hindi, he had wondered who were selling pani puri in the city (Coimbatore) now, an obvious reference to the predominantly Hindi-speaking vendors involved in the trade.