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Bharatiya Janata Party leader and actor Khushbu Sundar on Sunday slammed a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam platform speaker for his purported remarks about her, taking exception to his 'crass comments' and said the National Commission for Women, of which she is a member, will take up the matter by itself.
With Sundar raking up the issue on Twitter and later emotionally addressing a press conference, the ruling party announced that the platform speaker, Sivaji Krishnamurthy, was being dismissed from the party for indiscipline and bringing disrepute to it.
At a press meet hours after tweeting on the issue, Sundar broke down and was visibly emotional throughout. Sundar said she has already taken up the matter with the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women.
Earlier, she uploaded a video of Krishnamurthy on her Twitter page and said, 'The crass comments of this habitual offender shows the political culture prevalent in DMK.'
'There are many like him in that rut. Abusing women, passing lewd cheap comments about them goes unchecked and is probably rewarded with more opportunities.'
Tagging Chief Minister M K Stalin, she said, 'What you don't realise is he not only insults me, but you & a great leader like your father (the late M Karunanidhi). The more space you provide him, the more political space you will lose. Your party is becoming a safe haven for uncouth hooligans. It's such a shame.'
Later, addressing the media, Sundar questioned the bad outlook about women in general that political parties had, and said she was talking for all women.
"Don't be afraid. I am there, we (NCW, apparently) are there. I will stand up for you," she said.
The issue was not about a DMK man speaking ill of a BJP woman leader, but it was an attack on women. 'This is the new Dravida model. Such persons are being nurtured' in the DMK, she said, evidently pointing out the irony of party president and Chief Minister Stalin's oft-repeated assertion of delivering inclusive and development-oriented model of governance.
BJP state president K Annamalai recalled Krishnamurthy's controversial speech about Governor R N Ravi some time ago and said that the platform speaker's comments about both the constitutional leader as well as Sundar 'are highly condemnable, and we demand immediate action on this repeat offender'.
Annamalai also tweeted a clip, in which Krishnamurthy is purported to have made some remarks about the Governor in light of the portfolio re-allocation in the TN cabinet following the arrest of state minister V Senthil Balaji.
Krishnamurthy was suspended by the party following those controversial statements about Governor Ravi , but the suspension was revoked after he apologised.
Today, in a party statement, DMK general secretary Duraimurugan announced the expulsion of Krishnamurthy.
"Sivaji Krishnamurthy is being dismissed from all party posts, including the primary membership, for violating party discipline and bringing disrepute to it," he said.