In December 2017, when RSS ideologue and editor of Tamil magazine Thuglak Swaminathan Gurumurthy dubbed Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam as “weak men” and “impotent leaders", the AIADMK had reacted sharply. Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar went to the extent of saying, "No potent man would flaunt what he possesses. He (Gurumurthy) should have exercised restraint in his language."
The RSS ideologue had then claimed that his words were misinterpreted. A year-and-a-half later, Gurumurthy does not seem to have changed his opinion of the ruling party leaders in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at Thuglak's 50th anniversary celebrations meeting in Trichy on Sunday, Gurumurthy revealed why and how Panneerselvam launched his dharmayudh against Sasikala in February 2017. He said he had asked Panneerselvam to go and meditate at Jayalalithaa's memorial and that there could be a way out.
Gurumurthy said, "OPS (Panneerselvam) came to me and told me that he was asked to supervise the arrangements at the centenary hall where Sasikala was planning to take oath as the chief minister. There was a conversation between us, all of it I can't reveal here. But I asked him if he was a man enough." The RSS ideologue went on to criticise the ruling government in the state, calling it “a gang of robbers."
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However, a day later, after the AIADMK began reacting, the Thuglak editor tweeted his clarification, saying he was "misinterpreted" and that his “statements before and after it were ignored." In a series of tweets, he said, “When I spoke to OPS, I did not refer to him specifically or ask him if he was man enough. I only meant why AIADMK members were bereft of courage and falling at Sasikala's feet. OPS also knows this and it is he who saved AIADMK from Sasikala. I have great respect for him.”
Explaining the context of his speech at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the magazine, he said, “I have already said this in an interview. Rangaraj Pandey, (former journalist), who spoke before, asked if it was right of Thuglak, which accepted Jayalalithaa, to oppose Sasikala, who was endorsed by the former. This is the reason I said that at the Thuglak meeting. When I was replying, I spoke about meeting OPS and how he saved the AIADMK.”
Saying it was not a "dignified act" to interpret a just a part of his speech, Gurumurthy tweeted saying, "I don't know many people in the AIADMK. Of the people I know, I have the most respect for OPS. This is excluding our difference of opinions.”
However, Gurumurthy's comments have not gone down well with the AIADMK although the chief minister and the deputy chief minister are yet to react to the "man enough" comment by the RSS ideologue.
