DMK's Kanimozhi apologised as "Woman and human" on party official's remark

Chennai: Senior DMK politician Kanimozhi apologised today "as a woman and human being" for remarks made by a party official towards female BJP leaders. She said that she could apologise since her party, led by her brother MK Stalin, the Chief Minister, "did not condone this."

The actor and BJP politician Khushbu Sundar had questioned the DMK on the topic in a tweet, to which Ms Kanimozhi was reacting, NDTV reported.

"When men abuse women, it just shows what kind of upbringing they have had & the toxic environment they were brought up in. These men insult the womb of a woman. Such men call themselves followers of #Kalaignar Is this new Dravidian model under H'ble CM @mkstalin rule?" she had tweeted, tagging Ms Kanimozhi.

"I apologise as a woman and human being for what was said. This can never be tolerated irrespective of whoever did it, of the space it was said or party they adhere to. And I'm able to openly apologise for this because my leader @mkstalin and my party @arivalayam don't condone this," Kanimozhi responded.

Mr Stalin recently expressed his displeasure with the inappropriate remarks and actions of his party members.

He compared himself to a drum that has been struck on both sides and claimed that they are giving him "sleepless nights."

"The party has been subjected to ridicule and shame because of the behaviour of some," he pointed out at a party meeting earlier this month.

Days later, the DMK was forced to expel senior leader and spokesperson KS Radhakrishnan from the party's primary membership due to his derogatory remarks on ally Congress.

Mr Radhakrishnan mentioned Manmohan Singh 2.0 in a tweet about the Congress elections that has since been deleted, suggesting that regardless of the outcome, Sonia Gandhi would remain in charge.

There was controversy earlier when higher education minister K Ponmudi made derogatory remarks about women using the state government's free bus transportation programme.

A Raja, a former minister and member of parliament, made a controversial statement last month about Shudras and Hindus.