TENKASI: A protest held by the DMK women's wing, condemning the violence against women in Manipur saw an exchange of heated arguments between Tenkasi South district secretary P Sivapadmanathan and district panchayat president S Tamil Selvi on Monday.
Sankarankovil MLA and DMK North district secretary E Raja along with hundreds of women functionaries across the district took part in the event. Sources said the arguments between Sivapadmanathan and Tamil Selvi began after he did not permit her to talk on the stage about the Manipur violence by refusing to give her the mike.
"After Sivapadmanathan denied the mike, Tamil Selvi said the DMK district unit has failed to protect the women members of the party, and chided those who were shouting at her from the crowd gathered before the stage. She was then sidelined by other functionaries on the stage. Later, the police sent her home safely," sources added.
Sivapadmanathan and Tamil Selvi have been functioning as two different teams within the party after an incident in which she was allegedly sexually harassed by a party functionary over the phone. Tamil Selvi also alleged that some party members abused her on social media. During a recent district panchayat council meeting, Tamil Selvi also alleged that some DMK councillors are intentionally creating a ruckus in the meeting against her functioning as president.