Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Friday, 30 November, reinstated a man who was suspended in September for violently attacking a woman inside a beauty parlour.
Selvakumar, former councillor of the DMK, was suspended for defaming the party in September after visuals of him physically abusing a woman went viral on social media.
According to a statement from the DMK headquarters in the party mouthpiece 'Murasoli', Selvakumar was taken back into the party after he tendered his apology to MK Stalin, the president of DMK.
“Selvakumar has accepted his regret for the incident and has placed his request to resume work in the party before President MK Stalin. The disciplinary action initiated against him is hereby quashed and he has been permitted to work as a member of the party from today (Friday, 30 November),” read the statement.
The DMK had suspended S Selvakumar in September after the incident. The suspension was announced through a press release on 13 September, which said, “The party suspends him from basic membership and all party posts due to actions that go beyond the code of conduct of the party and for defaming the party.”
When TNM contacted the DMK over reinstatement of the suspended functionary, a source in the party stated that it was done following an inquiry. "The party decided that this was a problem between two individuals and had nothing to do with Selvakumar's role in the DMK. We can't interfere in the personal lives of our members," he says.
But when we point out that assaulting a woman is a criminal offence he adds, "Yes, we understand. But we have to take into account the permutations and combinations at work when considering how we treat lower level functionaries."
Two video clips showing Selvakumar physically assaulting a woman in the presence of her employees inside a beauty parlour went viral in September.
In the videos, it was evident that Selvakumar had brutally hit the woman, despite the other women employees trying to stop Selvakumar from abusing her.
The police had told TNM that the incident happened in May at the Mayuri Beauty Parlour in Perambalur Old Bus Stand.
Sathya, who owns the parlour, allegedly had financial dealings with Selvakumar, who ran a furniture shop in Perambalur.
On the day of the incident, Selvakumar had visited the beauty parlour to meet Sathya and discuss their financial dealings when things heated up. As the arguments turned violent, Selvakumar brutally kicked and assaulted Sathya.
The police also told that Sathya filed a complaint only in September, months after the assault. Based on the complaint, the police arrested Selvakumar and remanded him.
Selvakumar, who resides in Annamangalam area in Perambalur, was a councillor of the DMK.
(This article was published in an arrangement with The News Minute)
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