A day after his comments on Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam sparked controversy, RSS ideologue and editor of Tughlak magazine S Gurumurthy has issued a clarification.
Following a war-of-words with the AIADMK, Gurumurthy appeared to go into damage control on Monday. In a tweet, he said, “When I spoke to OPS, I did not refer to him specifically (when I asked if he was man enough). I only meant why AIADMK members were bereft of courage and falling at Sasikala's feet. He (OPS) also knows this. He only saved AIADMK from Sasikala. I have great respect for him.”
Explaining the context of his words on Sunday at the magazine’s 50th anniversary celebrations, he said, “I have already said this in an interview. Pandey (former Thanthi TV Managing Editor Rangaraj Pandey) who spoke before me had said that it was not right of Tughlak, which accepted Jayalalithaa, to oppose Sasikala, who had been endorsed by the former. This is the reason that I said that at the Thuglak meeting. When I was replying, I spoke about meeting OPS and how he saved the AIADMK.”
Stating that it was not a ‘dignified act’ to only present a part of what he spoke, Gurumurthy said, “I will say it again. I don't know many people in the AIADMK. Of the people I know, I have the most respect for OPS. This is excluding our difference of opinions.”
In 2017, following the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, factionalism broke out between her close aide VK Sasikala who was touted to be the next Chief Minister and then CM O Panneerselvam (OPS) who eventually rebelled against Sasikala and her family controlling the party. Dubbed OPS’ dharmayudham (righteous crusade), the politicking ultimately saw Sasikala’s ouster from the party and current Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami taking over the state’s top job with OPS as his Deputy.
Stating that he was the one who advised current Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam to sit before the final resting place of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Gurumurthy had on Sunday said, “They (AIADMK) had made all arrangements to make VK Sasikala the Chief Minister at the University hall. OPS was told to go and supervise the arrangements, see if the place is clean, etc. Then he came to me. (OPS asked) ‘sir, they are saying all this, I don’t know what to do.’ I cannot elaborate on the manner in which I spoke to him. I asked why he was a man.”
Gurumurthy’s implication that OPS was not “man enough” to take on the Sasikala faction that was emerging powerful in the aftermath of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s death has not gone down well with the party. On Monday, Tamil Nadu's Minister for Fisheries D Jayakumar said, “This is the height of arrogance. Nobody should have this level of arrogance. Tongue control is needed. You already know that on many occasions he has tried attacking the AIADMK and faced its repercussions.”