Parliament Winter Session: BJP MPs demanded an apology from DMK MP Senthilkumar over his controversial remarks in Lok Sabha, leading to a ruckus in the house. The BJP has accused the DMK MP of insulting the holy cow and Sanatan Dharma while referring to the saffron party’s poll victory in the Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

Following the BJP’s protests in the house, the DMK MP said he regretted making the remarks and requested the words be expunged.

“The statement made by me yesterday inadvertently, if it had hurt the sentiments of the Members and sections of the people, I would like to withdraw it. I request the words to be expunged…I regret it,” he said.

The BJP had won the three states but failed to reach two digits in the south Indian state of Telangana where the Congress defeated the ruling BRS to end 10 years of KCR’s reign. Referring to election results, the DMK MP had said that BJP is only winning elections mainly in the heartland states of Hindi and used controversial words to describe the north Indian states.

The remarks were even slammed by the Opposition Congress and its leader Milind Deora said that the DMK must realise these reckless remarks weaken the efforts Opposition’s INDIA alliance.

“DMK must realise that its reckless remarks only weaken INDIA Alliance’s efforts in challenging BJP in the Hindi heartland. India is one, and there is no place for a north-south divide,” Deora wrote on X.

The BJP also slammed the DMK MP for what it called an insult to Sanatan Dharma and holy cow. BJP leader Sushil Modi said that they had to suffer consequences of such language against holy cow and Sanatan Dharma in the assembly elections in three states and will face similar consequences in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Following the backlash, Senthilkumar said that he made the remarks in the presence of BJP leaders but if they have hurt the sentiments of people, he won’t use the controversial word again.

“I made some statement inside the House. At the time Home Minister & BJP members were there at that time. I have used this before in my Parliament speeches. It was not a controversial statement. If it touches somebody I will try to avoid using it next time…” he said.