Video shows nurse carrying Congress MLA's footwear at Tamil Nadu hospital, sparks outrage (WATCH)
The footage shows a nurse picking up footwear and placing it near the feet of Mayiladuthurai Congress MLA S Rajakumar, and has drawn sharp criticism.
A video from a government hospital in Tamil Nadu has gone viral, igniting widespread backlash on social media. The footage shows a nurse picking up footwear and placing it near the feet of Mayiladuthurai Congress MLA S Rajakumar, and has drawn sharp criticism.
The incident reportedly unfolded during the MLA's visit to the Kuthalam Government Hospital in Mayiladuthurai district last Friday. The video quickly gained traction, with political leaders and users expressing outrage over the act, which many perceived as demeaning.
BJP Tamil Nadu coordinator H Raja shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), lambasting the Congress MLA for allegedly instructing the nurse to handle his footwear.Â
"We have all seen videos of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitating sanitation workers, washing their feet, but here in Mayiladuthurai, Rajakumar, a Congress MLA, made the nurse on duty pick up his footwear and place it near his feet. This is highly condemnable. Sonia Gandhi never taught Congress functionaries how to respect women, it seems," Raja wrote on X.
Congress MLA clarifies
MLA S Rajakumar, however, has strongly denied the accusations, dismissing them as politically motivated. Speaking to The Times of India, he explained the situation, "I went to Kuthalam govt hospital to inspect ongoing construction work on the hospital premises. During the inspection, when I was about to enter the operation theatre, as per rules, I removed my usual slipper and was about to wear footwear kept at the entrance, which is meant for people entering the operation theatre, and a nurse voluntarily took that footwear and put it down."
The Congress legislator further asserted, "I never forced anyone to take that slipper. I have huge respect for healthcare workers. Some people are doing cheap politics by cropping a particular portion of that video and spreading false information."