Opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has been arrested for speaking in a derogatory manner about the Chief Minister and a well-known woman. Immediate arrest for defamatory speech can never be accepted at any time. However, here, the responsibility of someone holding the lofty position of Opposition Leader also has to be questioned.
While Udhayanidhi was speaking at that gathering, the supporters in the crowd chanted a woman’s name in chorus. Noticing this in the middle of his speech, Udhayanidhi made a disrespectful comment with a sly smile and a grimace. That comment is so disgusting.
For a leader of the opposition to make comments like this is an act that tears apart political dignity. What is painful is that Udhayanidhi is not doing this for the first time. Since the start of the campaign for the 2019 parliamentary elections, Udhayanidhi has been speaking in such vulgar terms. Back then, he had spoken in a highly perverse way about Edappadi Palaniswami falling at Sasikala’s feet. Even then, that remark faced criticism. Even then, he did not change his style.
During the campaign for the recently concluded assembly election, he sank even lower and, at every rally, brought up a photo of Edappadi bowing at Sasikala’s feet and spoke as he pleased. On the opposing side, Edappadi also responded with equally disrespectful remarks, and a contest was going on between Edappadi and Udhayanidhi over who could spew the most vulgar words.
Now he has spoken in a disgusting manner again. You can also notice that there is a setup in this. “Where did Udhayanidhi speak?” some people from the crowd shouted. DMK supporters are making excuses, saying that he just reacted, that’s all. This is a pattern. He did the same thing when criticizing Edappadi for bowing at Sasikala’s feet. Someone from the crowd would say Sasikala... immediately, with a smile, he would say, “I didn’t ask. This is the audience’s choice,” and then Udhayanidhi would continue his vulgar remarks.
It happened in the same pattern in Thanjavur as well. Udhayanidhi is by no means a third-rate public speaker for the DMK. Within just four years of joining the party, he rose to the position of Deputy Chief Minister. Now, demands are also circulating within the party to make him the party’s working president. He is the present face of the 75-year-old great party that represents Tamil Nadu. Someone like him also has the responsibility to act as an example with dignity and respect others’ self-respect. The DMK is a party that grew by speaking of self-respect. Self-respect is not only about preserving our own dignity.
Respecting the dignity and status of others is what self-respect truly means. If his supporters chant in a way that demeans the self-respect of others, Udhayanidhi has the responsibility to condemn them on the spot and set them right. Instead, if he encourages them by speaking in crude language based on the points they raise, this perversion will continue from one stage to the next.
Moreover, all these disgraceful acts are centered on women. The DMK is a movement that came from Periyar’s legacy, one that spoke of women’s liberation with self-respect. As the present face of that movement, someone who speaks progressivism should be an inspiration for women’s advancement. Instead, using women as a touchstone for vulgar language is an utterly undignified act. Even if one were to take Kanimozhi, another face of the DMK, as the benchmark for whether she would enjoy all this talk, words would not come to such a point as to speak like this.
Even now, Udhayanidhi has not expressed regret or apologized for that speech. Instead, he is going around spreading incense smoke, saying the speech was cut and pasted. The respect that the Chief Minister has here is also due to the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition has the great responsibility of pointing out the issues that the ruling government ignores and avoids, even though they are the voice of the people. Avoid crude language and try speaking for the people in the people’s language, Udhayanidhi!