Chennai, June 12 (IANS) Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran strongly condemned the derogatory remarks made by DMK’s Andipatti MLA, Maharajan, who reportedly referred to women availing free bus travel as “OC” (a Tamil slang meaning “freeloaders”).

In a sharply worded statement, Nagendran said such comments are not only disrespectful to the women of Tamil Nadu but also reflect the arrogance of the DMK regime.

“It is highly condemnable that an elected representative of the ruling party would belittle women who make use of government welfare schemes,” he said.

“This is not an isolated incident. Former DMK Minister K. Ponmudi, too, had earlier made degrading remarks about women bus commuters. DMK MP D.M. Kathir Anand insulted women by saying ‘You look glamorous only because of the Rs 1,000 you received’”, Nagendran added.

He said the Dravidian Model, which the DMK often boasts about, appears to be more about marketing welfare schemes than genuinely respecting beneficiaries.

“On one hand, the government advertises these schemes extensively for political mileage, while on the other, its own leaders mock the women who benefit from them. This is the true face of the DMK’s hypocrisy,” he said.

He further questioned why DMK leaders show such enthusiasm in insulting poor and middle-class women, but fail to improve the condition of overcrowded, poorly maintained buses or ensure that the Rs 1,000 monthly assistance reaches all eligible women in the state.

“It is unacceptable for those in power to ridicule ordinary citizens. The DMK government must stop this culture of arrogance and apologise to the women of Tamil Nadu. Governance should be about service, not insult,” Nagendran said.

He urged the people of Tamil Nadu to take note of the DMK’s repeated insults toward women and ensure that such behaviour is not tolerated in a democratic society.

—IANS

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