S Ramadoss, chief of Pattali Makkal Katchi, which is an ally of the BJP and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, has hit the headlines for his comments against journalists. Ramadoss not only threatened to hack a journalist but also called them “dogs”. The comments have received severe backlash
Chennai: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) chief S Ramadoss threatened to hack journalists after one of them raised questions about felling of trees in Tamil Nadu.
A video is now taken social media by storm, in which Ramadoss can be heard saying, he would “cut down those who ask questions”.
Ramadoss’s statements come in reference to an incident several years ago where he had threatened to “cut down” those who ask him questions about cutting trees after being asked by a journalist.
At the event in Chennai on Saturday (June 22), Ramadoss stated, “I told him that I have answered this question a hundred times. You are asking about it repeatedly with a motive, which is to establish that Ramadoss is a tree-cutter. You want to ensure that even people who don’t know about this, get to know it now,” adding, “So I told him – in future if there is any such protest, we will not cut trees. Instead, we will cut people like you who ask questions,” Ramadoss said.
But that was not all. The PMK chief can be further heard calling journalists “dogs and kamanati pasanga” which loosely translates to son of a widowed woman.
“Hey dogs, come and see where all I have planted trees. For one year I have been offering Rs 1 lakh prize. But not one person has come to see. I’ve raised a forest in our charitable trust,” he said.
101வது முறையாக கேட்கிறோம், மரம் வெட்டும் போராட்டம் நடத்தியது ஏன் ?
இந்த கேள்வி கேட்டால் கேள்வி கேட்பவரை வெட்டுவீர்களோ ?? pic.twitter.com/HVfYEP3D72
Ramadoss’s remarks soon invited sharp criticism from the Chennai Press Club, apart from other forums of journalists.
“The rightful owners of democracy, the people, are watching such speeches,” the statement said.
The PMK was known for cutting trees as a mark of protest in the 1980s. The party had cut down more than 100 trees when several of its leaders were jailed a few years ago under the tenure of former chief minister late J Jayalalithaa.
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