Tamil Nadu Minister’s Vulgar Remark On Hindu Tilaks Triggers Row, DMK Removes Him From Key Post

Last Updated:April 11, 2025, 16:17 IST

Senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister K Ponmudy was on Friday removed from a key party post in the wake of a row over his remarks on Shaivism and Vaishnavism that drew widespread criticism, including from DMK MP Kanimozhi and BJP leader K Annamalai.

Ponmudy Controversy: Senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister K Ponmudy triggered a massive row after his controversial and vulgar comments about women, Shaivites and Vaishnavites at a public event. The comments drew widespread criticism, including from his party colleague, Kanimozhi and BJP leader K Annamalai.

Ponmudy Removed From Party Post

Following the uproar, Ponmudy was on Friday removed from a key party post.

DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin announced that Ponmudy was being “relieved from the party’s deputy general secretary post.” Stalin made the announcement in a statement, 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, Stalin added.

What Ponmudy Said?

A video the minister’s purported comments in the context of a sex worker, reportedly made during a public event on April 6, went viral on social media.

In the video, Ponmudy is heard sharing a vulgar conversation, labelled misogynistic and demeaning to women, between a man and a sex worker.

He can heard saying, “Women, please don’t misunderstand, while narrating the a conversation allegedly between a man and a sex worker, where the latter asks him whether he is a Shaivite or Vaishnavite and later describes about sex positions.

Political Leaders Slam Ponmudy

The comments drew widespread criticism, including from his party colleague, Kanimozhi and BJP leader K Annamalai.

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.’

In a social media post, Narayanan Thirupathy, Vice-President of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit 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.

BJP leader K Annamalai slammed the DMK over Ponmudi’s controversial remarks, calling it the party’s standard of political discourse.

“Not just this Minister, the entire DMK ecosystem is vulgar, foul-mouthed, and uncouth. Hang your head in shame, Thiru @mkstalin, for leading such a disgraceful pack,” he said on X.

Actor and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar, in a post on X, tagged Chief Minister MK Stalin and asked, “Will you ever have the guts to throw him out of his chair and position? Or you and your party find sadistic pleasures in insulting women and Hinduism?”

She also questioned if “the women in your household approve of these insults when they visit temples brazenly.”

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya called it a continuation of DMK’s attacks on Hinduism. Referring to earlier remarks made by Udhayanidhi Stalin about Sanatan Dharma, Malviya said, “Whether it’s DMK, Congress, TMC, or RJD, members of the I.N.D.I. Alliance seem united not by ideology, but by a shared disdain for Hindu beliefs.”

Ponmudy had earlier courted 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.

(With inputs from agencies)