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TN BJP hits out at minister over video
The DMK has been silent on the incident. A senior party leader told HT that he was not aware of such an incident at all. A second leader said that since the minister has said they are known to each other, he didn’t want to comment.
Chennai: A video clip of ruling DMK minister for revenue and disaster management KKSSR Ramachandran smacking a woman on her head with a petition she brought to him has been circulating and criticised by the BJP’s state unit. The woman in the video later said that the minister patted her on the head and didn’t hit her.
The incident happened in Arupukottai town in Virudhunagar district on Tuesday. The woman, named Kalavathi, had handed over a petition to the minister regarding her mother. She is seen speaking to the minister continuously while he is speaking to the district collector to his right. The 13-second video shows the minister pursing his lips and smacking Kalavathi on her head with the petition inside an envelope. Another clip which is a few seconds longer shows the minister holding Kalavathi’s arm after smacking her and then turns back to talk to her.
On Wednesday, Kalavathi told reporters that he only patted her with the envelope on her head and didn’t hit her. “We have known him for 30 years. He’s like a sibling to us,” she said. Reports said that ministers also said that since she was known to him, he took the liberty to pat her on the head.
The DMK has been silent on the incident. A senior party leader told HT that he was not aware of such an incident at all. A second leader said that since the minister has said they are known to each other, he didn’t want to comment.
BJP’s Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai held a press conference and criticised the minister for having rushed to the woman’s house, creating a drama and coercing her to speak like this. “These ministers are speaking of social justice and hitting people who are giving them petitions. The chief minister is watching all this and keeping quiet,” said Annamalai. He also warned that if the minister doesn’t resign in 48 hours, BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit will protest in front of his house.
