Senior DMK Minister K Ponmudy is facing the ire of the high court for his derogatory remarks linking commercial sex workers with Saivism and Vaishnavism which cost him his party post. 

Directing the Tamil Nadu Police to register an FIR against the minister by April 23, Justice Anand Venkatesh on Thursday warned of acting suo-motu if the direction was not complied with. “I will initiate suo-motu action, if they don’t,” he told Advocate General PS Raman, while taking up suo motu revision against the acquittal of Ponmudy, Minister for Forests and Khadi, in a disprportionate assets case by a lower court. 

Advertisement

The Judge asked the AG to get instructions from the DGP as to what criminal action has been taken against Ponmudy for the hate speech and inform the court in the evening.

At a hall meeting of the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhgaam on April 6, to commemorate the centenary of Thiruvarur Thangarasu, a lieutenant of rationalist social reformer and Dravidian icon, ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy, Ponmudy had likened the religious symbols of Saivism and Vaishnavism to sexual positions. With the video of his speech going viral, there was a fierce backlash with many, including DMK MP, condemning it. 

Acting swiftly to contain the damage by his cabinet colleague, known for frequently putting his foot in the mouth, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on April 12 stripped him of his party post – Deputy General Secretary. A day after being relieved as Deputy General Secretary, Ponmudy tendered a public apology.

Taking up the matter in the evening, Justice Anand Venkatesh made it clear that he needed answers. While directing the AG not to file multiple FIRs for the same offence, filing one FIR was enough on the complaint received so far. The Court pointed out that the matter does not require much enquiry as the person who had made the unsavoury remarks, which does not seem to have been made in the spur of a moment, had accepted it. Since it had been made consciously, the issue could not be brushed aside by a mere apology.

“The material is already available. I need to get an answer on what action has been taken on the complaint. The damaging content is still there. This a congnisance taken by this court. It will get a different colour when I step into it and I don’t want that to happen,” the Judge observed adding that a message should be sent as a deterrent. People holding high positions should not indulge in such things and it should not be seen as a licence for someone belonging to a particular party, he noted. 

Observing that the law is the same for everyone, Justice Anand Venkatesh said “When the government takes serious action against others for making hate speech, the same should be done when a person who is part of the government makes it. We have all heard what he had said.”

Earlier, a practicing advocate had approached the court seeking disqualification of Ponmudy from the cabinet for making derogatory remarks.

Advertisement