News Tamil Nadu

Hijab-Clad Woman Makes Casteist Attack On Union Fin Min Nirmala Sitharaman Invoking Her Brahmin Identity; DMK’s Padma Priya Shares It And Deletes After Outrage

January 3, 2024
The Commune

Cyclone Michaung mercilessly wreaked havoc upon the city of Chennai and its suburbs in early December 2023 and subsequently, the state also faced severe flooding in southern regions owing to extremely heavy rains. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Tamil Nadu government seemingly failed to address the challenges in responding to the recent floods and inundation caused by Cyclone Michuang in December 2023 in various districts in the state. 

On 22 December 2023, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman conducted a press conference to provide insights into the Central Government’s actions in response to the recent floods affecting Chennai and the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. She said that the Centre has disbursed ₹900 crore in two installments for Tamil Nadu in the current fiscal year.

Commenting on the DMK government’s decision to give ₹6000 as a relief amount, Sitharaman expressed her concern over the mode of payment, questioning why the funds were being disbursed in cash rather than through direct benefit transfer. She asserted, “This is government money, not my father’s money or your father’s money.”

The Finance Minister’s comments came in response to a remark made by DMK Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin who had said “Are we asking their father’s money? We’re asking to give back our money”.

Sitharaman retaliated, accusing Udhayanidhi of consistently using derogatory language. Drawing parallels to a previous controversy about eradication of Sanatana Dharma, she said, “This is the pattern of their language; even during the Sanatana dharma controversy, he employed similar expressions.

“Those asking ‘Is it your dad’s money?’, can we similarly say he is enjoying power because of his dad’s assets? Can we ask like that? He has been elected by the people and we give him the due respect for that. These talks like ‘unga appan, unga aatha’ (derogatory way of saying your father, your mother), these kind of talks are not good in politics. He wishes to progress further in politics right? That family is also aspiring Secright? The language they use. His grandfather was such a big Tamil scholar. The words that come through the tongue should be measured in accordance with the position they hold.“, she said.

The Dravidianists seem to have been affected by the comments made by FM. In an attempt to deflect attention from their failure, Dravidianists resorted to mocking Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her Brahmin identity.

YouTube beautician turned DMK IT Wing’s State Deputy Secretary, Padma Priya shared a video on her X handle. This video is actually a portion of a TikTok video by a handle @royalhb6. In the video clipping, a woman wearing a hijab sarcastically questioned whether Ms. Sitharaman should be respectfully requested. She said, “Should we ask Ms. Sitharaman respectfully that’s it! On behalf of affected people I’m asking you. Greetings to you due to heavy rain in Tamil Nadu there was complete there were floods and people are innocent and suffering so I don’t ask you to give money from your father’s home I ask you to give tax money contributed by the people of Tamil Nadu. You will live a long life. I have requested you for the funds with the respect you expected and in the language you understand. Please give something that you can to the people of Tamil Nadu, you will gain some punya. You will also live well.” 

Following the backlash from netizens, the post has been deleted.

This is not the first time D-stocks have mocked Nirmala Sitharaman for her caste. 

On 20 August 2023, in an event conducted by DMK to express their opposition to the union government’s decision to persist with the examination, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran made several comments that were casting aspersions based on caste, specifically targeting Brahmins and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman where he went ahead to called her ‘Nirmala Mami’ 

Also former Justice Chandru had hurled casteist slurs at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman calling her “Ooruga Maami“, a casteist and a sexist reference to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Brahmin and woman identity.

More recently. when Finance Minister was in Tamil Nadu, Dravidian stocks criticised Nirmala Sitharaman for questioning Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department officials regarding the upkeep of the temple procession route. Supporters of the DMK endorsing the Dravidian Stocks engaged in derogatory and casteist language against Nirmala Sitharaman, making reference to her Brahmin identity. They even trended a derogatory hashtag #தட்டேந்தி_நிம்மி” on social media platform X. The hashtag “Thattendhi Nimmi” in Tamil carries a casteist and abusive connotation, specifically targeting her Brahmin identity by alluding to Brahmin priests relying on donations placed in the archana plate.

This video by the hijabi shared by former beautician Padma Priya was highly condemned by netizens for the senseless mockery made against a woman and a particular community.

 

 

 

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