COIMBATORE/KARUR: DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has found himself in the eye of the storm after his remarks, in a meeting on Tuesday, allegedly demeaning people of Coimbatore, sparked a political row, with the AIADMK and the BJP condemning the Lok Sabha member for his “derogatory” comments and seeking an apology from him on Wednesday.
While addressing a consultative meeting – with entrepreneurs, social workers, educationists, volunteers from NGOs and functionaries from trade unions – organised by the Karur district unit of the DMK on Tuesday, Maran had made remarks perceived as derogatory towards people of Coimbatore.
Lauding Karur people and their business, Maran said, “Karur is number one in the finance industry. Nobody knows much about it. I am very surprised how you are doing the business to this extent.”
But while referring to Coimbatore, he said, “Coimbatore people would not destroy their own town, but neighbouring town in the name of pollution….” After saying these words, he paused midway and said, “This is election time, something could go wrong.” He then resumed offering advice to industrialists from Karur.
The meeting was chaired by Karur MLA V Senthil Balaji.
In a post on X, Thondamuthur MLA SP Velumani said, “I strongly condemn Dayanidhi Maran for delivering a hate speech against the hardworking people of Coimbatore in a display of power-driven arrogance.”
BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran in a post on X said, “The DMK members, whose arrogance has gone to their heads to the point of publicly slandering Coimbatore – known as the Manchester of South India – as the town of troublemakers, will never set foot on Coimbatore soil again in any lifetime.”
Former state BJP president K Annamalai in his post on X said, “For his arrogant speech, Dayanidhi Maran must immediately seek public forgiveness.”
However, Senthil Balaji, in his X post, criticised the BJP for “cutting and pasting” the video of Maran “speaking humorously”. Accusing the BJP of playing politics, he asked, “What are the projects that the BJP obtained from the union government for Coimbatore?”