Durga Ashvathaman, the wife of Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary A Ashvathaman, has filed a complaint with the National Commission for Women against Vanni Arasu, the State Deputy General Secretary of the VCK party. The complaint alleges that Arasu made indecent comments and personal attacks against both Ashvathaman and Durga, constituting personal attacks and defamation of women.
The exchange began with VCK Deputy General Secretary Vanni Arasu, who suggested that his party chief, Thirumavalavan, should be positioned as Chief Minister. Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan criticized Thirumavalavan’s aspirations, claiming he had no right to discuss social justice and that his dream of becoming Chief Minister was unrealistic because he was “playing a double game.” Murugan questioned Thirumavalavan’s status as a Dalit leader, pointing out that he had filed a Supreme Court case challenging reservation benefit for the Arunthathiyar community, asserting that he is merely a leader of the VCK party.
In this debate about reservations, NTK chief Seeman added fuel to fire by aiding support for Thirumavalavan, questioning why he couldn’t aspire to be Chief Minister when Murugan had become a Union Minister. When BJP State Secretary A. Ashvathaman was asked for his thoughts, he defended Murugan, noting that Murugan holds a doctorate in law, while sarcastically questioning the qualifications of Thirumavalavan, implying he was an expert in “mass conversion” instead.
In response to Ashvathaman’s remarks, Vanni Arasu resorted to personal attacks, making disrespectful comments about Ashvathaman’s personal life, including suggesting he should first be a better husband. Hurt by these indecent remarks and the damage to her family’s reputation, Durga Ashvathaman filed a complaint with the National Commission for Women against Vanni Arasu for personal attacks and defamation.
Ashvathaman criticized VCK party chief Thirumavalavan on his official X account, stating, “If the State Deputy General Secretary of a party writes like a scribbler on a toilet wall, then just imagine how the party’s cadres (Nandu Sindu) will be! Vanni Arasu (@VanniKural) has proved the true nature of the VCK party. Is this your upbringing @thirumaofficial? My wife Durga Ashvathaman, has filed a complaint against VCK Party’s State Deputy General Secretary Vanni Arasu in the National Commission for Women for ‘personal attack and spreading defamation against dignity of women’.
In her letter to the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Durga Ashvathaman requested action against Vanni Arasu, the State Deputy General Secretary of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party (VCK), citing offenses such as personal attacks and the spreading of derogatory statements that undermine women’s dignity.
She stated, “l am a teacher. My husband Shri. A. Ashvathaman is an Advocate practising at Madras High Court and the State Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Tamil Nadu. He has many political enemies because of his active participation in politics. But no one makes a personal attack on him. There is a party in Tamil Nadu called the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) means Freedom Cheetahs Party. As the name of the party itself has a wild animal’s name, their activities are also like that. Since that party does not have an individual ideology, it resorts to ‘individual personal attacks’ on others.”
“Vanniarasu, who is the Deputy General Secretary of VCK, is deliberately spreading baseless and false allegations against me and my family. He says I have filed a Dowry Harassment Complaint against my husband and he says many other unprintable slanders. He continues to spread these disgusting false slanders on television and social media. He also posts our wedding photos on social media and posts defamatory comments on them. It is causing me great grief. These people, who do not dare to oppose my husband ideologically, are doing the dirty and despicable job of spreading slander about the family and the women in the house. My husband and I got married in 2014. We have two children. For the couples getting married in our circle, the elders would show me and my husband as an example and wish them to live like us. But, The above-mentioned person is spreading slander against us for his cheap political gains.” She added.
“My husband is doing many good things for people. He has done various public works like the Cuddalore Pondicherry Railway track, Ulundurpet Railway Stoppage, he fought and got justice for the worker who was killed in Cuddalore Cashew Mill by DMK’s Ex-MP TRV Ramesh, So he continues to work despite various threats. He filed a complaint against VCK’s leader Thirumavalavan in the Manu Smriti issue and an FIR has been filed based on his complaint. Last month in Bhuvanagiri, near Chidambaram, an innocent family who had come from Karaikal for the treatment of their daughter’s stroke, was victimized by VCK’s goondas. My husband continued to raise his voice for them and he made Tamilnadu police to file an FIR against VCK goondas. The family came to meet my husband and thanked him. Now, unable to tolerate this matter, the above-mentioned Vanniarasu has again started spreading his slanders (https://x.com/Vannikural/status/1848401051449495958). | came to know that there are many cases against the above-mentioned person including murder attempt murder passport forgery. So, the above-mentioned person Vanniarasu is a habitual offender,” she added.
“If such despicable acts are allowed, it will become their routine to try to stop the people in public life, by those cheap tricks like ‘focusing on the women of their family and spreading slander’. Therefore, | request you to take appropriate action against that person, Vanniarasu, for spreading unnecessary and false derogatory defamations against me and my family,” she finally said.
On 21 October 2024, Vanni Arasu via his official X account stated, “Do you know who he is? @Ashvathaman, first you should develop the ability to be a good husband to your wife.”
“Case No:1 On 14.2.2016, accused Ashvathaman filed a Habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court, claiming that his father-in-law had forcibly taken away his wife Durga and eight-month-old child from their home, and his whereabouts are unknown. This Habeas corpus petition came up for hearing on 22.03.2016. The public prosecutor presented new information to the court, stating that no one forcibly took away the wife of accused Ashvathaman. The court was informed that the dowry complaint filed by his wife against Ashvathaman is pending in the Pattukottai All Women Police Station and the case is pending in the Pattukkottai court seeking divorce, while he is being beaten and harassed for asking for dowry.” He alleged.
“The judges heard this and said that this matter is entirely a family dispute. They dismissed the Habeas corpus petition of Accused Ashwathaman, stating that they cannot resolve the matter with a Habeas corpus petition. This accused, Ashvathaman, was the one who harassed and beat his wife, who was with an eight-month-old baby, for asking for dowry. He is now incarnated as a person fighting for women’s rights.” He stated.
“Case No:2 Subramanian and Dhanapakiyam, a couple from Mathiyanur Colony in Ulundurpet Taluk, Kallakurichi District. They belong to the Adi Dravidian sect. They wanted to enroll their son, Sivanandan, in a teacher training school, so they went to the Arul Teacher Training Institute, which is run by his father, Allimuthu and accused Ashvathaman. On 13.6.2007, they paid 70,000 rupees and admitted their son. It was only later that they discovered the teacher training institute run by accused Ashvathaman and his father had inadequate facilities and was operating without proper accreditation. Consequently, the student’s mother, Dhanapakiyam, approached the institution to request a refund of the money and a transfer certificate.” He further stated
“They have been dragging their feet for a long time and are promised Dhanapakiyam to give it on 4.1.2008. Ashvathaman and his father Allimuthu were present in the office. Allimuthu grabbed the saree of Dhanapakiyam and slapped her on the cheek saying, ‘Para thevdiya (a caste prostitute), we didn’t ask you to come to give money, we asked you to get rid of it’. Dhanapakiyam fought to file a complaint against Allimuthu, who had transgressed saying, “If you ask for money like this, I will not let you go alive.” He further alleged.
“At that time, Ashvathaman, who was in the room, saying, ‘Only if we leave your alive, you will report to the police’, took an iron hammer and hit her on the head with the intention of killing and said, ‘get lost’. In that her skull was fractured and blood flowed out. On hearing the screams of Dhanapakiyam, people came inside rescued her and admitted to a hospital in a life-threatening condition. In this regard a case has been registered in Ulundurpet police station regarding this incident with number 12/08. Allimuthu is the first accused in this case and Ashvathaman is the second accused.” He added.
He further stated that a case has been registered against Allimuthu under Sections 294, 323, 506(2) of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Violence Against Women Act. Additionally, a case of attempted murder has been filed against accused Ashvathaman under Section 307, which is still pending. Ashvathaman is allegedly delaying the trial by leveraging his authority and threatening Dhanapakiyam’s family with a rowdy gang, claiming his connections to the BJP and demanding that the case against him be withdrawn.
Fearing for their safety, the Dhanapakiyam family wrote a letter to State President Murugan, whom they see as a protector of Dalits. In the letter, they expressed that Aswathaman threatened them, stating that he would kill them with men from the Ottar caste, who are stonebreakers from his father’s lineage and also warned that if he sought help from the Vanniyar caste on his mother’s side, they would not be allowed to live in peace.
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