A DMK MP has sparked controversy after he allegedly referred to the Hindi heartland states as ‘gaumutra states’, drawing sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
D.N.V. Senthilkumar, while taking a jibe at the BJP over its election victories in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, said on Tuesday that the saffron party can win elections in only those states and not in South India.
“People of this country should think that the power of the BJP is only winning elections in the heartland states of Hindi and what we generally called as gaumutra states,” he said while speaking in Lok Sabha.
"You (BJP) cannot come to South India. See all the results that happened in Kerala, Tamil Nadu Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, we are very strong there," the MP said.
The recent assembly election results had raised talks of ‘north-south divide’ after the BJP won the three major Hindi states and Congress wrested power in Telangana. The BJP is not in power in any of the south Indian states after they lost Karnataka earlier this year.
"We will not be surprised if you have an option of converting all these states into Union territories so that you can come into indirect power because you can never dream of setting foot over there and taking control of all the southern states," Senthilkumar further remarked.
His comments stirred up a political storm with BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai alleging that the level of discourse of the ruling party in the state has touched a new low.
"After calling our North Indian friends Pani Puri sellers, toilet constructors, etc., I.N.D.I. Alliance DMK MP, makes Gaumutra Jibes," he said on X.
"Chennai is sinking due to the misgovernance of DMK & and so is their level of discourse on the floor of the Parliament," Annamalai said, referring to the flood-like situation in the state capital.
Former Karnataka minister C.T. Ravi asked if Congress leader Rahul Gandhi endorses such insulting remarks.
"Will I.N.D.I. Alliance leader Rahul Gandhi agree with this DMK man who has insulted Bharatiyas of the Heartland States?,” he asked.
It may be noted that DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatan Dharma, months before the assembly elections, had also triggered a massive controversy.