TVK slams A Raja's 'bent coconut tree' jibe as 'height of incivility'

TVK slammed DMK MP A Raja's "bent coconut tree" tweet as the "height of incivility." The jibe allegedly targeted VCK and IUML for joining the TVK cabinet, with TVK accusing the DMK of arrogance and insulting the principle of power-sharing.

TVK Slams 'Height of Incivility'

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Friday slammed DMK MP A Raja over his "bent coconut tree" jibe at the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) for joining Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay's cabinet, accusing him of crossing boundaries of moral-political decency and insulting democratic principles.

The TVK stated that the tweet Raja posted represented the "height of incivility" and exposed the DMK's ruling arrogance. "The tweet posted by DMK Member of Parliament Mr A Raja on his social media page is the height of incivility. It trivialises the democratic principle of 'Power Sharing' championed by the VCK and IUML, while completely crossing the boundaries of moral political decency!" the TVK stated.

DMK Accused of Arrogance, Fearing 'Power Sharing' Model

The party further alleged that the DMK treats its political allies like property rather than equal democratic partners. "When parties rooted in social justice put forth their rights or alternative political views, criticising them in a derogatory manner and speaking in an intimidating tone only exposes the DMK's arrogance of power!" the statement added.

Linking the DMK's reaction directly to a fear of losing its long-held political dominance, the TVK asserted that the ruling alliance is panicking over an inclusive governance model. "Out of fear that the honest, inclusive political philosophy of 'Power Sharing' proposed by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will dismantle their monopoly on family politics, members of the DMK have lost their composure and started ranting! You have exposed your true colours yourself," the TVK's statement concluded.

The 'Muttatthengu' Controversy Explained

The controversy erupted after Raja posted a cryptic literary tweet about a coconut tree grown in one's garden bending over to give water to a neighbour. The TVK quickly decoded the metaphor, identifying it as a derogatory attack on smaller social justice parties like the VCK and the IUML for exploring the TVK's proposed "power-sharing" philosophy. The remarks come at a time when MLAs from the VCK and the IUML--both traditionally aligned with the DMK--took oaths of office as ministers under the newly formed TVK coalition government.

Taking to his official account on X, the DMK Deputy general secretary drew a parallel using the classical literary concept of Muttatthengu--a term describing a coconut tree planted in one's own yard that bends over to yield its fruit and water to a neighbour's house to frame a question about contemporary political behaviour. "If the coconut in my home garden bends over and offers tender water to the opposite house, in literature, that would be named 'muttatthengu'! What name should we give it in politics? Long live Tamil!" Raja wrote. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)