'Shame on you for calling yourself a leader': Khushbu Sundar tears into Udhayanidhi Stalin over Trisha Krishnan row

The political storm surrounding Udhayanidhi Stalin's alleged remarks about actor Trisha Krishnan has intensified, with actor-politician Khushbu Sundar launching a blistering attack on the former Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister.

Calling his comments "vulgar, crude and crass," Khushbu in an interview with NDTV accused him of perpetuating a culture where women are routinely used as political punching bags and said leaders should be held to a higher standard of public conduct.

The controversy erupted after remarks allegedly made by Udhayanidhi during a public meeting sparked widespread outrage, drawing criticism from political parties, women's groups and members of the film fraternity. While he didn't take Trisha's name specifically, his crude remark did not go down well with her fans and Vijay's supporters.

The issue soon escalated into a legal battle, with Tamil Nadu Police registering a case against the DMK leader. He was arrested on Tuesday before being granted bail later that night following directions from the Madras High Court, according to reports.

Breaking her silence on the issue, Khushbu told NDTV that while she was disappointed by Udhayanidhi's remarks, she was not entirely shocked.

"I was not surprised at all. I have seen these kinds of misogynist, sexist remarks. And I have seen women being abused in the DMK earlier. So it's finally the legacy that you are taking forward," she said.

Khushbu revealed that she had expected a different kind of politics from Udhayanidhi, given his age and the positions he has held in government.

"I didn't expect this from Udhayanidhi Stalin because I thought he was young. He was the former deputy chief minister and youth affairs minister, so I thought this man would be different. But it's very surprising that here you have Udhayanidhi Stalin coming up with these kinds of very vulgar, crude and crass statements. And there's not even an iota of remorse," she said.

Moving beyond the controversy itself, Khushbu argued that the incident reflected a much deeper problem in Indian politics, where women are frequently dragged into political battles and subjected to personal attacks.

Questioning why female actors and women in public life continue to become easy targets, she said, "Who gave you the birthright to abuse a woman on a public platform? And it's not Udhayanidhi Stalin alone; it's across political parties."

"How long are you going to abuse a woman to prove a point? How weak does a man have to be to talk in such a disrespectful manner about a woman, to fire a gun from a woman's shoulder and say that, 'I am the strong man. I am a leader'? Shame on you for calling yourself a leader here."

Khushbu also challenged political leaders to prove their strength without dragging women into public debates.

"If you are man enough, if you say that I am a leader, stand up without abusing a woman. Let's see if you can do it."

The actor-politician also dismissed the cheers that followed the controversial remarks at the rally, claiming they represented party loyalists rather than public opinion.

"In the Assembly elections, DMK members themselves have not voted for the party. Their own family members have not voted for the DMK. So it is not the public who is clapping here. It is your own 'chamchas' (sycophants) who are hooting and clapping and whistling, finding pleasure in seeing a woman being abused. That just shows their misogynistic, dirty mindset," she alleged.