Chennai, April 11 The DMK has removed Tamil Nadu Forest Minister and senior party leader K. Ponmudy from his post as Deputy General Secretary following his controversial and vulgar remarks made at a recent party meeting.
The remarks, perceived as deeply offensive towards the Shaivite and Vaishnavite communities, sparked widespread outrage, including criticism from within the party.
DMK MP and party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi publicly condemned Ponmudy’s comments, calling them “unacceptable”.
In a strongly worded post on her X account, she stated: “The recent speech of Minister Ponmudy is unacceptable. No matter the context, such vulgar speeches are condemnable.”
The remarks, reportedly made during a DMK workers’ meeting in Chennai within the past week, triggered backlash from political leaders, civil society, and the public.
In a now-viral video, Ponmudy is seen using a sexually explicit analogy involving a prostitute to ridicule religious practices.
Referring to sacred Hindu symbols, he mockingly described the Shaivite horizontal tilak and the Vaishnavite vertical tilak in most vulgar words, reducing spiritual symbolism to crude innuendos.
Singer and activist Chinmayi Sripada also criticised the minister, saying, “This is the Forest Minister Ponmudy from Tamil Nadu. He previously held portfolios such as Science and Technology and Education. He describes this as a ‘joke’ because there’s a market for such speeches in public gatherings. The joke, sadly, is on us.”
The BJP strongly condemned the remarks, demanding Ponmudy’s immediate removal from the state cabinet.
BJP Tamil Nadu Vice-President Narayanan Thirupathy said in a social media post, “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.”
Thirupathy also welcomed Kanimozhi’s condemnation of Ponmudy.
This is not the first time the minister has courted controversy. In a previous incident, he made disparaging remarks linking North Indian migrants to selling 'pani puri' in Coimbatore, suggesting that those advocating for learning Hindi end up in low-paying jobs.
With mounting pressure from the public and political opponents, the DMK acted swiftly to strip Ponmudy of his senior party position. However, there has been no official statement or apology from the minister himself at the time of reporting.
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