An old video featuring Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) minister for school education Rajmohan has resurfaced on social media, drawing criticism over the crude sexual innuendos used by him during a stand-up comedy performance.
The video is from an episode of Comicstaan on Amazon Prime, from the period when Rajmohan was known as a stand-up comic and public speaker, before entering electoral politics and eventually becoming a minister in the Tamil Nadu government.
In the clip, Rajmohan begins by saying, “I am Tamil Nadu speaking.”
He then uses different parts of his body to represent various districts and regions of Tamil Nadu.
Pointing towards his feet, he says, “This is not a leg, this is Kaniyakumari. My knees are Rameshwaram.”
He then points towards his thighs and, adopting a local dialect, says, “Hey why are you sitting like that, this is Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli.”
The routine then takes a more explicit turn.
Rajmohan continues, “If you come from the south of Tamil Nadu upwards…” before stopping at his groin and referring to it as a “forest area.”
The audience responds with laughter and applause.
He then adds, “If you take care of the forest, only then the next generation will be born.”
Rajmohan subsequently clarifies the literal reference, saying, “The forest I meant is Mudumalai, Kodaikanal, Ooty.”
However, the sequence and his gestures make the intended double meaning difficult to miss. What exactly was being implied by describing the groin area as a “forest” and linking its “care” to the birth of the next generation is left to the audience to interpret.
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‘It Was Just Comedy’ — But Rajmohan Is Now Education Minister
TVK supporters may argue that the video is old and dates back to Rajmohan’s days as a stand-up comedian, and therefore should not be judged in the context of his present office. But being old does not make the remarks beyond scrutiny.
Rajmohan is no longer simply a comedian performing for an adult audience. He is now Tamil Nadu’s School Education Minister, responsible for a department that oversees the education and welfare of lakhs of children across the State.
The video does not show him making these remarks as a minister, and an old comedy routine need not automatically determine someone’s suitability for public office. Yet the crude sexual innuendo and the manner in which he uses his body to depict Tamil Nadu’s geography inevitably invite questions about his mindset and also the judgment and public conduct expected from someone holding the Education portfolio.
TVK can call it “just comedy”. But the video remains part of Rajmohan’s public record.
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