Chennai, March 17 -- All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MP CV Shanmugam sparked controversy on Tuesday after making remarks about actress Nayanthara during a protest in Villupuram district.

The comments triggered strong reactions from leaders of the DMK and the Congress, saying it reflected a lack of political ethics and respect for women. The remarks were also criticised, stating that political discourse should focus on governance rather than personal or derogatory comments.

Other DMK leaders termed the statement unacceptable and called for a public apology, urging AIADMK leadership to take action. They also noted that this was not the first time Shanmugam had faced criticism for such remarks.

The incident occured when ...