Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP DNV Senthilkumar S on Tuesday clarified his ‘Gaumutra states’ remark in Lok Sabha - hours after it stoked a massive controversy - saying that it is “not a controversial statement” and that he has used it in his Parliament speeches before.
“I made some statements inside the House. At the time Home Minister and BJP members were present in the House. I have used this before in my Parliament speeches…It is not a controversial statement. Although, if it hurts somebody, I will try to avoid using it next time. I will try to use some other words to mention where the BJP is strong in getting their votes,” the DMK MP told news agency ANI.
He added, “Nobody has come and told me so far that my statements have hurt their sentiments.”
A massive controversy erupted after Senthilkumar called the Hindi heartland states as ‘Gaumutra’ states. His statement was in reference to the BJP's victory in three states - Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh - in the recently concluded assembly election. “The people of this country should think that the power of this BJP is only winning elections mainly in the heartland states of Hindi, what we generally call the 'Gaumutra' states,” he told Lok Sabha.
Also read: ‘We respect Gau Mata’: Cong's Adhir Ranjan on DMK MP's ‘Gaumutra’ remark'
{{/usCountry}}A massive controversy erupted after Senthilkumar called the Hindi heartland states as ‘Gaumutra’ states. His statement was in reference to the BJP's victory in three states - Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh - in the recently concluded assembly election. “The people of this country should think that the power of this BJP is only winning elections mainly in the heartland states of Hindi, what we generally call the 'Gaumutra' states,” he told Lok Sabha.
Also read: ‘We respect Gau Mata’: Cong's Adhir Ranjan on DMK MP's ‘Gaumutra’ remark'
{{/usCountry}}“Union Territories always look toward becoming States. But this is the first case where a state has become a Union Territory. BJP has just won many of the state elections. When they are not able to win a state they make it a Union Territory where they can have control over the governor and can run governance through them. If they were confident of a win there they would have not made it,” he further said during a debate on the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Hitting out at the DMK, union minister and BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said that it is a “disrespect of the ‘Sanatani’ tradition.” “DMK will soon get to know the benefits of 'Gaumutra'. They are very well aware that this will not be tolerated by the people of the country,” she told the media. Another BJP MP Annapurna Devi said that people who say such statements have a “shallow mindset and are jealous of PM Modi's popularity across the world”.