Durai Murugan sparks controversy, says people insulting Tamil would have their tongues cut off

VELLORE: Senior DMK minister Durai Murugan, known for his open and witty remarks, sparked a controversy by stating that north Indian culture allows multiple spouses, whereas in Tamil culture, one man marries one woman.
Addressing a party meeting convened to condemn the BJP-led Union government for denying the state's share of funds, attempting to impose Hindi through the national education policy and proposing delimitation of lok sabha constituencies in the country that will reduce the number of Lok Sabha seats in the state on Wednesday at Gudiyatham in Vellore district the minister warned that people insulting Tamil would have their tongues cut off.
He was responding to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's derogatory remark in the Parliament that Tamil people are uncivilized.
"In our culture, one man marries one woman. But in North India, one man can marry five or 10 women. Similarly, five men can marry one woman (in an apparent reference to Draupadi's marriage to five Pandava brothers). And now, you are calling us uncivilized. We will cut your tongue," he said.
The BJP demanded an apology from chief minister and DMK president M K Stalin for the minister's remarks.
“Don’t put your hand into a hornet’s nest! Don’t think you can dissolve our government — that’s impossible now, as laws have been passed to prevent it. Otherwise, it would have already been dissolved by now,” he said.
He said the Centre tried to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu in 1958. “We resisted. Periyar (late social reformer E V Ramasamy) and Anna (late Tamil Nadu chief minister C N Annadurai) were there at that time. In 1965, they (Union government) tried again — we stood firm, and they had to retreat. Karunanidhi (late Tamil Nadu chief minister) was there then. Now his son, a young boy (chief minister M K Stalin) is here. They think they can impose Hindi on us again — let them try and see what happens!" he said.
"Our Thalapathi (Stalin) is the only brave man in India who will dare to speak face-to-face with the Union ministers. Anna would test and leave, and Karunanidhi would warn — Thalapathi’s habit is to cut off tongues if necessary. When (late Congress leader) Rajaji brought Hindi, he also introduced caste-based education. Those were three major issues back then — and Periyar and Anna, despite being in different parties, joined hands to fight together," he said, drawing a parallel to the present struggle against the denial of the state’s share of funds, delimitation of LS seats and imposition of Hindi.
“Now, under the Thalapathi’s leadership, there is a three-pronged fight — against the denial of funds, the delimitation of constituencies, and the imposition of Hindi. Not only that — for the first time in Indian history, our Thalapathi has sent envoys to neighboring states. Just like how ambassadors are sent to foreign countries, our Thalapathi alone dares to do this. That’s why they fear us! Don’t turn the situation like putting your hand into a hornet’s nest!" he warned the Union government.