A recent video of DMK Minister K. Ponmudy has ignited widespread controversy and condemnation across social media platforms, with many calling out the minister for his offensive remarks targeting Shaivite and Vaishnavite communities. The video, which surfaced on X, captures Ponmudy making a crude analogy involving a prostitute to mock the religious practices of these Hindu sects, drawing sharp criticism for its insensitivity and vulgarity.
In the video, Ponmudy recounts a supposed interaction between a man and a prostitute, where the woman asks the man if he is a Shaivite or a Vaishnavite. According to Ponmudy, the prostitute explains that Shaivite means “lying down position” (referencing the horizontal tilak worn by Shaivites) while a Vaishnavite means a “standing position” (referencing the vertical tilak worn by Vaishnavites).
“Shaivism – Lying Down Position, Vaishnavism – Standing Position”: DMK Minister K. Ponmudy Insults Hindus By Narrating A Supposed Interaction Of Man With Prostitute
A recent video of Tamil Nadu Minister K. Ponmudy has ignited widespread controversy and condemnation across… pic.twitter.com/GpK3kXvyK5
— The Commune (@TheCommuneMag) April 10, 2025
The minister’s remarks were met with laughter from some in the audience, but they have since triggered a firestorm of backlash online.
Also, this isn’t the first time that DMK Minister Ponmudi has made such crass remarks from a public platform.
While inaugurating a ration shop at Manappoondi in Vizhupuram district, the DMK Minister openly asked a panchayat union chairperson about the caste she belonged.
“Even your panchayat union chairperson is a woman from an oppressed community. See who’s the chairman of this village? You are from a downtrodden community right? You are an SC right?” he asked on stage.
In yet another instance of DMK ministers abusing common people, DMK Minister Ponmudi yelled at a woman to ‘shut up’ when she came to him to express her grievances.
While speaking at a function, the DMK Minister made remarks in a belittling way while reminding women members in the audience about the ‘free bus scheme for women’ introduced by Stalin government.
“For you only 4000 rupees per card. Did he (Stalin) give or not? You got it right? Open your mouth and say. You got 4000 right? How are you going in bus today? If you want to go from here to Koyambedu or anywhere, you are going in ‘OC’ (free). You are going in ‘OC’ bus.”, he said.
Radio Silence From Feminist Champion The News Minute
The sacred symbols of the Hindu sects had been reduced to a sexual joke, and a woman—fictional or otherwise—was objectified in the process. In such moments, one expects India’s progressive media to respond swiftly and unequivocally. After all, ‘publications’ like The News Minute have built entire reputations championing against misogyny in public discourse.
Had this same language been used by a BJP politician, RSS member, or even a random sadhu, The News Minute’s newsroom would’ve sprung into action faster than you could say “patriarchy.”
- “Misogynistic mindsets in saffron.”
- “Hindutva’s dangerous view of women.”
- “Why BJP’s toxic masculinity threatens Indian democracy.”
We’ve seen similar headlines before. Often within hours of a clip going viral.
But when the misogyny and mockery flow from a Dravidian politician, whose party thrives on anti-Hindu rhetoric and cloaks itself in “social justice”? Suddenly, the outrage pipeline dries up.
As of 14 April 2025, The News Minute has published no original reporting, no editorial, and no opinion piece on this incident. Nothing condemning Ponmudy. Nothing defending the dignity of Hindu women, saints, or symbols. Just radio silence. Their only mention? A syndicated feed noting that the AIADMK Women’s Wing plans to protest the remark.
This Isn’t Just About Hinduphobia. It’s About Hypocrisy
It isn’t the first time progressive platforms have displayed such double standards, but the hypocrisy has rarely been this blatant. Misogyny, when cloaked in anti-Hindu sentiment or delivered by a minister from the Dravidian fold, seems to slip past their radar. The same media house that throws the book at a pro-Hindu speaker for calling out gender dynamics within religious spaces suddenly discovers the virtues of nuance and silence. The minister, a person of power, has sexualized the religious symbols of the majority population of the state and country and no one in the DMK leadership has apologized – the only action taken is stripping Ponmudy of his party post – very strong action!!
This controversy isn’t merely about anti-Hindu rhetoric. It reveals an uncomfortable truth about ideological tribalism in Indian media. For many in the so-called liberal press, the legitimacy of outrage depends less on what was said, and more on who said it. If the perpetrator is aligned with their political sympathies, the story dies a quiet death. But if it comes from a saffron-tinged corner of the spectrum, the reaction is swift, scathing, and sustained.
Misogyny/Hate Isn’t Partisan, TNM, Your Outrage Shouldn’t Be Either
In the case of Ponmudy, the silence from the likes of The News Minute speaks volumes. There has been no call for an apology. No feminist think piece. No panel discussion on the commodification of women in political speeches. For a media platform that claims to stand for women’s dignity and secular fairness, the refusal to cover this story is not just disappointing—it’s damning.
If The News Minute truly believes in the values it claims to uphold, it must show the courage to apply them consistently. Misogyny is misogyny, whether it comes wrapped in a saffron shawl or draped in Dravidian rhetoric. And if it lacks the spine to say so, then it must stop pretending it ever had one.
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