'Can't Be Mere Spectators': Madras HC Slams Ponmudi Over Obscene Remarks Insulting Hindu Sects
The Madras High Court on Tuesday took up the suo motu case initiated over controversial remarks made by Tamil Nadu DMK Minister K Ponmudi on the tilaks of the Hindu sects, Saivites and Vaishnavites.
Hearing the matter, Justice P Velmurugan slammed the DMK minister and said, 'Nowadays these politicians feel that sky is the limit under Article 19. We can't be mere spectators. We live in a democracy with many communities."
'When they're coming to public, they must realise that they're living in a country which is meant for every person. It's not meant for any particular person. Not for the politician alone. Everyone must realise that they're living among the people," he added.
Earlier in April, Justice Venkatesh took serious note of the issue after an extract of the video containing Ponmudy's remarks was played in open court by a lawyer, during the hearing of a 2023 suo motu revision petition taken up by the court against the minister's acquittal in a case of disproportionate assets. This case was also initiated by justice Venkatesh.
Ponmudi, Tamil Nadu Forest Minister and senior DMK leader, landed into a major controversy for his speech at a public event, in which he made remarks linking Hindu religious identities with sexual positions.
In a viral video from the event, Ponmudi was heard saying, 'Women, please don't misunderstand," before narrating a joke where a man visits a sex worker, who then asks the man whether he is a Shaivite or Vaishnavite.
DMK MP Kanimozhi condemned the statement by Ponmudi. In a post on X, she wrote, 'Minister Ponmudi's recent speech is unacceptable. Regardless of the reason for the speech, such vulgar remarks are condemnable."
Following the controversy, the DMK removed Ponmudi from the post of deputy general secretary of the party.
First Published:
July 08, 2025, 12:33 IST
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Delhi Confidential: Sweet offering
DMK's Arun Nehru, a first-time MP from Perambalur, has a sweet trick to make new friends in Parliament. The 41-year-old is popular among Opposition benches for his delicious homemade chocolates that he generously distributes among his colleagues. Nehru is also promoting a small venture — Kocoatrait, which makes ethically sourced zero waste bean-to-bar chocolates — from his constituency. He says it's one way of supporting a sustainable and circular economy. Nehru's sweet offering has won him praise from the Treasury benches too. While he has introduced some NDA MPs to his homemade delights, the DMK leader says he is still amassing courage to go to the senior leaders. He recently offered a few chocolates in different flavours to Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who said he relished each one of them. Overhaul On Cards Ridden by factionalism, the Haryana unit of Congress may soon get new District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents under the party's Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan (organisational rejuvenation campaign). The party had kickstarted the organisational overhaul in Gujarat, where it appointed new DCCs in June. It recently sent observers to Haryana and Madhya Pradesh to oversee a similar exercise. Sources in the Congress say they are not sure when the Madhya Pradesh appointments will be finalised, but in Haryana the revamp will begin in the next few days. The party high command has meticulously gone through suggestions made by the observers, and will soon announce the appointments. In party circles in Haryana, meanwhile, speculation is rife about which faction — former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda or party MP Selja Kumari — will have more people among the new DCCs. Old Office, New Role Senior forest service officer Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj, who was till recently a member secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), returned to his former institution — the Wildlife Institute of India — as its director. Bhardwaj had earlier served as a scientist and faculty at the autonomous wildlife research body and has moved there after a one-year stint at NTCA.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
No funds from muzrai temples diverted: DGR
Mangaluru: Minister for health and family welfare, Dinesh Gundu Rao, expressed concern over the spread of false information accusing the govt of diverting revenue from endowment temples for other purposes. Stating that the govt utilises the revenue from muzrai temples exclusively for the development of religious shrines under the department, the minister said that a few organisations have been spreading malicious campaigns against the govt with a political agenda. Rao was speaking at a consultation meeting with the management committee members of temples under the Hindu religious institutions and charitable endowments department on Friday. The Congress govt under chief minister Siddaramaiah increased 'tasdik' (remuneration for archaks) from Rs 24,000 to Rs 36,000 per year, and later to Rs 48,000 during his previous term. "The govt has further increased the tasdik to Rs 72,000. There is a political conspiracy to portray the Congress govt as anti-Hindu," Rao alleged. The state govt passed the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill to make provisions to utilise a portion of revenue from rich temples for the development of Hindu shrines with lower income. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "While the BJP opposed the bill, the governor has referred it to the President of India for approval," he said, and called upon endowment temple management committees to submit a memorandum to the governor and the President, seeking approval for the bill. MLC Manjunath Bhandary said that to prevent this malicious campaign, all endowment temples should put up notice boards clarifying that 'no funds from Hindu temples are diverted for other purposes.' He demanded that members of all B and C Grade endowment temples should be given ID cards from the department. Shwetha Palli, executive officer of Bappanadu Durgaparameshwari Temple, noted that 493 temples in Dakshina Kannada come under the muzrai department, of which 10 generate the highest income. MLC Ivan D'Souza, deputy commissioner Darshan HV and zilla panchayat CEO Narwade Vinayak Karbhari were present.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
AIADMK can't stomach DMK's popularity: Nehru
Trichy: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami 's 'Uruttugalum Thiruttugalum' campaign must be referring to 10 years of his party's govt, said municipal administration minister K N Nehru in Trichy on Friday. In a rebuttal to the opposition leader's campaign, the DMK principal secretary said AIADMK is unable to stomach the increasing popularity of the DMK govt. Nehru was inspecting the Ungaludan Stalin camp organised for wards 51 and 52 at a wedding hall in Bhima Nagar. "He (EPS) may be referring to the bluffs of the 10 years of the previous AIADMK governance. AIADMK is scared of our new members' enrolment camps and approaching the court. They failed to utilise the opportunity given by the people during their term, but we are fulfilling our promises," he said. Nehru said that welfare schemes are being implemented one after the other by the DMK govt. "Our CM writes letters every week to the Union govt seeking funds for the state for Jal Jeevan scheme, school education department, and MGNREGA schemes," he added. Around 900 applications were submitted in the camp from two wards to avail the monthly financial assistance scheme for women family heads.
