In a recently viral video clip, RS Bharathi, a prominent member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), is seen delivering a speech at an event organised to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of former DMK chief M. Karunanidhi.
However, his comments have generated controversy, as he expressed his frustrations about the Governor’s actions. Bharathi’s words were direct and unapologetic, as he criticised the Governor’s role in creating “problems” for the ruling government.
Bharathi remarked, “What is the governor doing? He just wants to create problems for the ruling government. We have seen so many governors, but what this governor does is create a fuss and drags us into a fight. He refuses to sign the bills we send. I addressed a gathering about what happened to him in Nagaland; they chased him away. Don’t mistake me; I am just quoting an example. The people of Nagaland eat dog meat. If someone who eats dog meat themselves has so much self-respect that they chased away this governor, then imagine how much self-respect Tamils, who consume food with salt, would have. The day he was chased away, the people of Nagaland celebrated it like Deepavali.”
Nagas eat dogs, and if dog-eaters like Nagas can have self respect then Tamils who eat rice and salt should have much more self respect and pride.
– RS Bharathi @arivalayam’s DMK official spokesperson. pic.twitter.com/jYTtOnfxIB
— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) November 5, 2023
The comments in the video prompted a swift response from Governor RN Ravi, who defended the Nagas and condemned Bharathi’s remarks. The official Raj Bhavan X handle posted a statement that read, “Nagas are brave, honest, and dignified people. Thiru R S Bharathi, a senior DMK leader, publicly insulting them as ‘Dog eaters’ is scurrilous and unacceptable. I urge Mr. Bharathi not to hurt a community of which the whole of India is proud.”
“Nagas are brave, honest and dignified people. Thiru R S Bharathi a senior DMK leader publicly insulting them as ‘Dog eaters’ is scurrilous and unacceptable. I urge Mr Bharathi not to hurt a community of which the whole of India is proud.”-Governor Ravi
— RAJ BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@rajbhavan_tn) November 5, 2023
In response to Governor Ravi’s criticism, Bharathi clarified his remarks to The New Indian Express, stating, “I concur with his statement that Nagas are brave, and that’s why they chased him away from their state. I meant that if even Nagas could chase him away, then Tamils are certainly capable of doing the same. I will address the press and provide a more detailed response on Monday.”
This is not the first time RS Bharathi has run his mouth in this fashion.
During an event in Ambattur, Chennai in 2021, DMK leader RS Bharathi made derogatory remarks about the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edappadi Palaniswami. He said, “He has forgotten with whose help, this dog, this man sat on the CM’s chair. Those who kick the ladder that they used for climbing up has never met a good end. I would say even MGR is also like that. MGR was nurtured and made into a leader by this movement. But you know what happened when he betrayed. He passed away without being able to speak.”.
He also made disrespectful comments about J. Jayalalithaa, implying that he was responsible for sending her to jail in the TANSI case and even suggested speaking to her from her memorial. He said, “Go wake her up from the samadhi [memorial] and ask”. He also added, “Recently, Jayalalithaa’s memorial hall was opened on January 27. They gave ₹40,000 per bus from all over Tamil Nadu. They gave ₹2000 to those who boarded the bus. They picked them up and dropped them off at Marina Beach. Edappadi and OPS thought that the whole crowd would come to the Jayalalithaa memorial. But the crowd thought, instead of visiting that ‘moodhevi’ (a derogatory slang in Tamil), they visited Kalaignar’s [Karunanidhi’s] memorial”.
RS Bharathi sparked controversy with derogatory comments about Dalit judges when he spoke at an event held at the DMK youth wing headquarters in 2020. During his speech, the DMK MP implied that individuals from the SC (Scheduled Caste) community became judges solely because of handouts (alms or “picchai”) provided by the Dravidian Movement.
This present incident highlights the equation between members of the ruling DMK party and Governor Ravi, with accusations and confrontations becoming a recurring theme. The recent petrol bomb attack on the Raj Bhavan also saw DMK members and certain sections of the media downplaying its severity.
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