MK Stalin, the DMK’s heir apparent and former Deputy Chief Minister, has landed himself in trouble for slapping a co-passenger while travelling by the newly-opened Chennai Metro on Wednesday. The video clipping of Stalin slapping the co-passenger, a male youth, went viral on the social networking sites and drew instant criticism from various corners including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
“This is strongly condemnable. No elected representative of the people is supposed to behave in this manner,” Jayalalithaa said in a statement on Thursday. The main Opposition leaders in the State were busy during the last two days undertaking journeys in the Chennai Metro which was dedicated to the people by Jayalalithaa on Monday.
Stalin, along with his close friends and associates, boarded the train in Wednesday. He was seen giving a back flip with his hand on the cheek of a young male passenger who was standing closer to him The DMK scion’s friends were seen pushing back the youth from his position.
later, Stalin condemned the high ticket rates of the Metro which he alleged were beyond the reach of the common man. But Jayalalithaa said in her statement that the ticket rates were fixed and signed by the previous DMK regime headed by Stalin’s father M Karunanidhi. “The DMK is trying to take credit for the Chennai Metro. The tariff was finalised and signed by the DMK Government during its tenure between 2005 to 2011,” she pointed out.
Meanwhile, the DMK’s second rung leaders claimed that Stalin did not slap the passenger. He was objecting to the young man troubling the lady commuters who were there in the compartment,” said a DMK leader. Stalin got a “morale boosting” support from Khushboo, former actress. Khushboo, who dumped the DMK and joined the Congress immediately after the lok Sabha election, came to the rescue of the son of her former mentor. “Stalin was trying to protect the honour of women. He is a man of honour,” Khushboo said in a statement strengthening speculation that the DMK and the Congress are inching closer for the State election scheduled for early next year. Interestingly, Khushboo was forced to leave the DMK following her falling out with Stain.
CR Saraswthi, senior spokesperson of the AIADMK, came down strongly on the “high-handed behaviour” of Stalin. “What more proof we need than this arrogant attitude of the DMK leadersIJ If he is feeling inconvenience in the Metro Rail, he should not have travelled in it. The Mtero Rail has all modern security systems to monitor what is happening inside the compartments. It is for the Metro authorities to take decision on misbehaviour if any,” said Saraswathi.
She said the grand victory of Amma in the bypoll and the commissioning of the Metro Rail has disturbed the DMK leadership which was trying to create problems for the sake of publicity.