Manickam Tagore, the member of Parliament (Congress party) representing the Virudhunagar constituency in Tamil Nadu stated that he will explore legal options over a derogatory speech made by a Tamil Nadu minister against him. The Virudhunagar (east) District Congress Committee also filed an official complaint with the SP regarding the inflammatory speech.
Tweeting his opinion on the vulgar speech that was brought to his notice, Manickam Tagore said, “The way minister speaks doesn't prove his position or his conduct in good spirit.I will explore the matter with legal experts since u believe that it amounts to hate speech and criminal intimidation and violates privileges of Member of parliament from rendering public duties.”
The incident under question allegedly happened in Sattur, in Virudhunagar district. Tamil Nadu’s minister for Milk and Dairy Development KT Rajenthra Bhalaji was speaking at an event to commemorate CN Annadurai’s birth anniversary celebration in Sattur. In a video that has surfaced of the event, the minister is seen using unparliamentary and obscene language against Manickam Tagore in full public view.
The video clip that went viral starts with Rajenthra Bhalaji talking about the upcoming bye-polls to the Nanguneri assembly constituency and how Congress party allegedly are looking for candidates to field in the constituency. “They are searching for a Congress candidate for Nanguneri. I think they will mostly pick one from Delhi. There is this * called Manickam Tagore. He hasn’t come here asking for votes. Even if he comes, thrash him with slippers. He hasn’t come asking for votes, he hasn’t come expressing thanks,” the minister said on stage. Continuing his verbal onslaught calling Manickam Tagore an ungrateful dog, Rajenthra Bhalaji said, “He is sitting in Delhi. His wife and kids are in Delhi. This pig is sitting there and issuing statements. If that pig comes here, shoot it. Don’t leave it. Beat it on the stomach with the rubber device used to drive away pigs. The biggest cheaters who plan and cheat are DMK guys….”
This portion of the speech, which has since gone viral, has prompted many on social media to slam the minister for his obscene words, forgetting political decorum. Based on the video, Sreeraja Chokkar, a Congress party functionary from Virudhunagar filed a complaint with the Virudhunagar SP on Monday against the minister for insulting an elected member of Parliament in public and for having made inflammatory remarks against an elected member of Parliament, which could cause harm to public harmony.