The BJP leader refuses to apologise for the remarks alleged to be obscene, defamatory and sexually explicit
NEW DELHI — In a move that’s sparked absolute fury, the BJP’s Karur district president, Senthilnathan VV, was booked on Monday for allegedly making sexually explicit remarks against Congress MP S Jothimani Sennimalai, triggering political backlash.
Jothimani, a force to be reckoned with as a prominent writer, social worker, and the elected representative for Karur in the Lok Sabha, was reportedly subjected to a shockingly personal attack.
An FIR has been slapped on the BJP leader at the Karur Town Police Station, following a complaint from a local Congress activist who alleges Senthilnathan spewed “sexually coloured, degrading, intimidating and defamatory” statements during a public protest on February 10.
The complaint pulls no punches, describing the speech as nothing short of a “direct sexual attack on the dignity of a woman,” amplified for all to hear in a public forum. It accuses the BJP leader of deliberately attempting to humiliate the MP and outrage her modesty. And if that wasn’t enough, the FIR also claims references to “sexual submission and concubinage” were brazenly used to demean and shame Jothimani in front of the public eye.
But the outrage doesn’t stop there. The complainant warns that these venomous remarks have created a “real and imminent threat” to the MP’s safety, clearly calculated to ignite hostility and social unrest.
While a video shared by Jothimani on social media couldn’t be independently verified, it purportedly captures the BJP leader declaring, “Jothimani ought to be deported from the country,” followed by a string of crude words aimed at the woman MP. This isn’t just politics; it’s a battle for dignity and respect.
Reacting strongly, Jothimani alleged the remarks were obscene, defamatory and sexually explicit, aimed at publicly shaming her as a woman representative. “It’s a shame. I am sharing the video to expose this person”, Jothimani was quoted as saying in a NDTV report.
However, speaking to NDTV, Senthilnathan denied any vulgar intent and refused to apologise.
“Stepney is an additional car tyre. It wasn’t spoken in that derogatory sense. I said it casually,” he said. He claimed the protest was against an alleged attempt by certain women MPs, including Jothimani, to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament, an accusation denied by the MP and opposition leaders. The opposition has since moved a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over this issue.
When asked if he would apologise, Senthilnathan said, “Why should I apologise? She has to apologise for bringing this kind of shame to India.”
Police have registered the case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to words, sounds, or gestures intended to insult the modesty of a woman, statements conducing to public mischief, criminal defamation, read with Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
The controversy comes on a day Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran expressed regret over his derogatory remarks against actor Trisha during criticism of actor Vijay, triggering public outrage.
