Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) parliamentarian DNV Senthil Kumar on Wednesday expressed regret in the Lok Sabha for his controversial remark on Hindi heartland states, amid a political row that escalated as Union minister Anurag Thakur questioned the Congress’s silence on the matter.
The Congress is an ally of the DMK in Tamil Nadu.
Kumar, who had earlier apologised, said the comment on the Hindi heartland states on Tuesday was made “inadvertently”, and that he withdraws them if they have hurt the sentiments of the people.
“The statement made by me yesterday inadvertently… if it has hurt the sentiments of the members and sections of the people, I would like to withdraw it,” the DMK leader said.
On Tuesday, Kumar was speaking in the Lower House on the BJP’s election victories in three out of five states – mainly the three Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan – when he made the controversial statement.
The DMK leader said the BJP can win elections only there and not in south India, and used a pejorative to describe Hindi heartland states.
While the contentious reference was later expunged by the House, it triggered a row across party lines, prompting Kumar to apologise. “...I have used a word in an inappropriate way… I apologise for sending the wrong meaning across,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Despite the apology and withdrawal of the remark, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stepped up its attack on the Opposition and accused the Congress of “insulting the Hindus, north Indians and Sanatan Dharma”.
“Congress-led ‘ghamandia’ (arrogant) alliance is leaving no stone unturned to insult Hindu, Hindi and Sanatan Dharma,” Thakur told a press conference on Wednesday.
“The Congress hates Santan Dharma, Hindus, and Hindi. This is the reason why Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have maintained silence on the statement of the DMK MP,” he added.
The Congress doesn’t believe in constitutional institutions, the Union minister said. “After facing defeat, they never analyse the reason for the defeat. They keep blaming EVMs and insult Sanatan Dharma, Hindus and Hindu culture,” he said.
The BJP also protested over the DMK leader’s remark in Parliament and created a ruckus over the issue during the Question Hour.
Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi demanded an apology from DMK leader T R Baalu for his colleague’s remark.
“Baalu ji should apologise first for the kind of remarks made by the DMK member. How can the House run like this? How can any member make any remarks and walk away,” Goyal said.
Referring to the opposition benches, Joshi said: “They are trying to divide the country. Rahul Gandhi, when he lost from Amethi, also made a statement on north-south divide.”
As the din continued, speaker Om Birla adjourned the proceedings for 20 minutes till 12 noon.
After the House reassembled for the Zero Hour, Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal raised the issue, and asked if Baalu and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi agree with the comments.
“Is T R Baalu standing with him? Is Rahul Gandhi standing with him? Voters have made BJP victorious in three states, and this is what they say. This is the thinking of dividing India in north and south. We will not allow it,” Meghwal said.
To this, Baalu said: “The statement made by Senthil Kumar was not correct. My leader (DMK chief) MK Stalin has taken note of it and has warned the particular member; he is under disciplinary action.”
However, the BJP continued its attack on the DMK. “While TR Baalu has asked him (Kumar) to take it (remark) back, the bigger question is who’d tell this to (Stalin’s son) Udhayanidhi Stalin. He attacked Hindus and Sanatan Dharma. The 2G scam mastermind A Raja likened Sanatan Dharma to leprosy and HIV. What are these double standards that you don’t say anything to your sons but to other MPs,” he said.
On Tuesday, Kumar was pulled up by Stalin over his comment. Senior DMK leader and organising secretary RS Bharathi, in a statement, said Stalin “strongly rebuked Senthil Kumar”.
(With inputs from agencies)