DMK MP's "Gomutra" Comment Stirs Controversy
After the “Sanatan Dharma” remark unleashed by the Dravida Munnetta Kazhakam (DMK) leader Udhayanithi Stalin wreaked havoc in Indian politics, another DMK leader, D N V Senthilkumar S, jumped into the fray with his “Gomutra” comments, calling Hindi-speaking states “Gomutra states.” He was speaking on the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in parliament. D. N. V Senthilkumar is a MP from Dharmapuri constituency in Tamil Nadu.
“People of this country should think that the power of this BJP is only winning elections, mainly in the heartland states of Hindi and what we generally call the ******** states. You cannot come to South India. You see all the results of what happens in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra, Telangana, and Karnataka. We are very strong over there. You can never dream of setting foot there and taking control of all these southern states,” the DMK MP told the Lok Sabha.
As the remark triggered anger among a large group of people, including the INDIA bloc, of which DMK is a member, Senthilkumar came up with apologies. “Commenting on the results of the five recent state assembly elections, I have used a word in an inappropriate way. Not using that term with any intent, I apologize for sending the wrong meaning across,” he posted on X.
Gomutra is considered holy by Hindu scriptures, and BJP MPs often hail its medicinal properties in their speeches. Senthilkumar made the comment in the wake of the Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan election results, where the BJP retained power with a landslide majority.
In a statement, DMK organizational secretary R. S. Bharati said, “Commenting on the results of the five state assembly elections, Dharmapuri Member of Parliament Senthilkumar used a term that could be misinterpreted. Upon learning this, the Honourable Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, the President of the Party, strongly reprimanded Senthilkumar’s choice of words.”
He added, “On behalf of the Party’s high command, I urge everyone to maintain civility and cultural respect when speaking in public. Everyone should adhere to the principles of duty, dignity, and discipline, as emphasized by Perarignar Anna. Additionally, in discussions on national issues, I urge you to avoid personal remarks.”
Earlier, Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and leader of the DMK, had made some controversial remarks about Sanatan Dharma. However, he later accused BJP leaders of twisting his words. Sanatana Dharma refers to hailing a “traditional” or “eternal outlook according to Hinduism.
Many experts attribute the failure of Congress in the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh assembly elections to junior Stalin”s remark claiming Congress”s failure to effectively counter the attack on Sanatan Dharma.
