‘Shame on you for calling yourself a leader’: Khushbu Sundar slams Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Trisha Krishnan remark
Actor and politician Khushbu Sundar has strongly criticised Udhayanidhi Stalin over his controversial remarks about actor Trisha. Calling the comments unacceptable, she said political leaders should not target women while making public speeches.
Khushbu Sundar says she expected better from Udhayanidhi Stalin
Speaking to NDTV, Khushbu said she was disappointed by Udhayanidhi’s statements. She added that she expected a different approach from someone who had previously served as Deputy Chief Minister and Youth Welfare Minister.The ‘Dragon’ actress said, “I was not surprised at all. I have seen these kinds of misogynist, sexist remarks. And I have seen women being abused in the DMK earlier. So it’s finally the legacy that you are taking forward. I didn’t expect this from Udhayanidhi Stalin, because I thought he was young and the leader of the opposition. He was the former deputy chief minister and youth affairs minister, so I thought that this man would be different. But it’s very surprising that here you have Udhayanidhi Stalin coming up with these kinds of very vulgar, crude and crass statements. And there’s not even an iota of remorse.”Khushbu went on to question why women continue to become targets in political attacks. She said the issue extended beyond an individual and reflected a larger problem in political discourse.She added, “Who gave you (Stalin) the birthright to abuse a woman on a public platform? And it’s not Udhayanidhi Stalin alone; it’s across political parties. How long are you going to abuse a woman to prove a point? How weak does a man have to be to talk in such a disrespectful manner about a woman, to fire a gun from a woman’s shoulder and say that ‘I am the strong man. I am a leader’. Shame on you for calling yourself a leader here.“Issuing a direct challenge, she further said, “If you are man enough, if you say that I am a leader, stand up without abusing a woman. Let’s see if you can do it.”
Khushbu Sundar questions the response at the rally
The actor also claimed that the applause heard during the rally did not represent the general public’s opinion. She alleged that only party supporters had cheered the controversial remarks.She said, “In (the Assembly elections in May), DMK members themselves have not voted for the party. Their own family members have not voted for the DMK. So it is not the public who is clapping here. It is not the public who is whistling here. It is your own ‘chamchas’ (sycophants) who are hooting and clapping and whistling and, you know, finding this kind of pleasure in seeing a woman being abused. That just shows their misogynistic, dirty mindset.“Khushbu maintained that such comments should not be normalised in public life and urged political leaders to engage in respectful debate.
Khushbu Sundar says women are not toys to play with
Responding to a question on whether Udhayanidhi Stalin’s arrest was excessive, Khushbu said she welcomed the action. She stated that it sent a message that women “cannot be pawns or toys to play with.”She also commented on the political situation following the recent Assembly elections, saying, “The DMK was living in a balloon of make-believe. This election proved that this balloon, where they thought that nobody could touch them, has been burst.”The controversy has sparked a political storm in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu Police arrested Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday in connection with the remarks allegedly made during a public rally. According to The Hindu reports, Udayanidhi Stalin was release on bail on August 4, at night as per Madras HC direction.
