DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin sparked a controversy during a DMK-organised protest over the Cauvery water issue after remarks made during his speech were interpreted by critics as a double entendre involving actor Trisha.
The protest was organised by the DMK to condemn the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government over the alleged failure to secure Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water from Karnataka and to stop the proposed Mekedatu dam project.
Addressing the gathering, Udhayanidhi criticised Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, saying:
“… but today not one drop of water has come. Is the chief minister of the state opening his mouth about this? Has he said anything about this? He is not speaking. What is his only worry? When it comes to the DMK, his only worry is to think about what false case against us. Whether water comes to us or not, it must reach ‘there’. I was talking about Cauvery water.”
As he was making the remarks, sections of the crowd began chanting “Trisha, Trisha,” in an apparent reference to actor Trisha. After the chants, Udhayanidhi smiled before adding, “I was talking about Cauvery water,” and continued with his speech.
The video of the speech quickly went viral on social media, with TVK supporters alleging that the remark was a double-meaning statement directed at both Chief Minister Vijay and the actor.
முதல்வர் திரு.@TVKVijayHQ அவர்களை விமர்சிக்கிறேன் என்ற பெயரில், பொதுமேடையில் தரம் தாழ்ந்து இரட்டை அர்த்தத்தில் பேசுவது தான் தி.மு.க-வின் பண்பாடா? காவிரி நீர் உரிமையைப் பற்றிப் பேசத் துப்பில்லாமல், மேடையில் பெண்களுக்கு எதிராக பேசிவிட்டு இப்படி சிரிப்பது தான் திரு.@Udhaystalin… pic.twitter.com/C8OyplashT
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) August 3, 2026
Critics questioned whether it was the DMK’s culture to stoop to such a level by using double-entendre remarks on a public stage under the guise of criticising the Chief Minister. It further asked whether this was the kind of politics practised by Udhayanidhi Stalin, accusing him of making derogatory comments against women on stage, laughing about them, and lacking the resolve to speak up for Tamil Nadu’s rights over Cauvery water.
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