The language of obscenity in Tamil Nadu politics

The arrest of Tamil Nadu's Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, for allegedly making obscene remarks during a demonstration on water dispute has brought back memories of a bygone era in Tamil Nadu politics. During this time, political discourse was marked by no-holds-barred attacks from lesser-known party leaders on their adversaries. These speeches, though often crude, drove home the political issues and defended the party's stance.

A notable example was Theepori Arumugam, a fiery speaker for the DMK, whose speeches were laced with personal attacks, including some referencing his own family life. Despite the consequences, Arumugam continued to deliver scathing remarks, even joining the opposing party later in life. Other combative speakers included Vetrikondan, Vagai Muthazhagan, Vannai Stella, and Nellai Balaji from the AIADMK.

Contemporary speakers like Sivaji Krishnamoorthy of the DMK still carry the spirit of this era, though their leaders usually curb such rhetoric to avoid public backlash.

The language used in these speeches often targeted women, reflecting the gendered nature of political discourse in Tamil Nadu. Despite facing such attacks themselves, women politicians, including the former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, were not exempt and sometimes became the targets of personal attacks. Jayalalithaa herself brought this combative style to the Tamil Nadu Assembly, displaying aggressive body language and confrontational tone during her exchanges with political rivals, particularly Vijayakanth from the DMDK.

This combative style seems to have found echoes in the present Assembly, with Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's aggressive exchanges with DMK leadership reminiscent of Jayalalithaa's presence.