Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has clarified that his body language during his reply to demands for grants for the police and fire services departments in the Assembly on Monday was not deliberate and was never intended to hurt anyone.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Vijay urged people not to interpret his gesture as an attempt to insult or hurt anyone personally.
During his speech in the Assembly, Vijay had placed his hand against his jaw, triggering criticism that he was mocking former Chief Minister and DMK chief M K Stalin over a jaw injury he had reportedly sustained while in jail during the Emergency.
Critics accused Vijay of body shaming, while parties including the DMK and CPM, which is extending support to the TVK government, strongly objected to the gesture.
DMK members in the House protested near Speaker J C D Prabhakar’s chair, demanding action over the incident.
The gesture also drew criticism on social media, where several users described both the remark and the body language as being in poor taste.
Vijay, however, maintained that the gesture was inadvertent and not aimed at hurting anyone’s feelings.
