The friction between the DMK and the Congress has intensified after Congress MP Manickam Tagore issued a sharp condemnation of remarks made by former DMK minister Anitha Radhakrishnan.
In a statement, Tagore said the tone of the former minister’s speech reflected “frustration and arrogance” after losing ministerial office and power. He alleged that the language used was not only insulting to Congress MLAs but also demeaned the transgender community.
Tagore said Congress workers had played a role in bringing the DMK to power and warned that his party also knows how to respond politically. However, he added that the Congress was still waiting for a reply from the DMK leadership in the interest of political civility.
He further questioned whether repeated derogatory comments targeting opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and senior leaders were being encouraged by the DMK leadership. Tagore demanded that Anitha Radhakrishnan apologise for her words and that the DMK leadership publicly condemn such language, warning that otherwise Congress would not hesitate to retaliate in the same political tone.
Tagore stressed that while political differences are natural, using demeaning words against women, transgender persons and political opponents amounts to a decline in political culture.
