Tamil Nadu Minister insults girl players

Tamil Nadu Minister insults girl players
x
Highlights

Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Dr S Sundararaj has stirred up a controversy during inspection of a school in Pudhukottai. The minister, during the visit, was seen humiliating young women hockey players. A video of the minister\'s on Saturday night surprise \'inspection\' of the school shows him speaking to the players while gesturing at them. 

‘Why are we (government) feeding you if you are not winning any medal’

He also touched the T-shirts of some girls, making them feel embarrassed

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Dr S Sundararaj has stirred up a controversy during inspection of a school in Pudhukottai. The minister, during the visit, was seen humiliating young women hockey players. A video of the minister's on Saturday night surprise 'inspection' of the school shows him speaking to the players while gesturing at them.

Sundararaj is heard reminding the students repeatedly of the scholarship money that the government is paying them. In the video, he asks a woman athlete whether she has enough banyans (vests) and gestures at her. Sundararaj asked a student if she had brought any medals for the state. "Why are we feeding her if she is not winning any medal," the minister said.

"You have put on weight no? We give you Rs 250 for food every day, and we give college students Rs 200 a month. You get more than them combined. I will only give money according to the food you eat," Sundararaj told another player. The minister further asks a student if she has physically matured after joining the hostel.

Moving towards another woman athlete, Sundararaj asked whether the earring that she is wearing were real gold or imitation. Sundararaj, however, rejected the charge of him humiliating the students. The sports minister said he was only motivating them to do better. Also, he was not accompanied by any woman warden.

Reports claimed that he also touched the t-shirts of some girls, making them feel embarrassed. The Opposition PMK in Tamil Nadu has accused Sports Minister S Sunderaraj of inappropriate behaviour with sportswomen during a visit to a hostel in Puddukottai and has demanded that he be sacked.

The minister and his party, the ruling AIADMK, are yet to respond to the PMK's accusations. AIADMK spokesperson C R Saraswathi said, "We are yet to see the video". The PMK said he had entered the women's hostel rooms at night without any women official accompanying him and inappropriately touched a student and tugged her T shirt.

In a statement, PMK chief Anbumani Ramadoss called it "inappropriate and suspected drunken behaviour" on part of the minister. He has demanded his removal from the cabinet.

Show Full Article
Print Article
Next Story
More Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENTS