AIADMK Expels IT Wing Member After He Compares Journalists to Dogs

Hari Prabhakaran had posted a derogatory statement on Twitter which got him expelled from the party.

Tweet of C Hari Prabhakaran, IT wing member of AIADMK.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

AIADMK expelled its IT wing member Hari Prabhakaran on Monday, 28 May, hours after he posted a derogatory tweet on journalists.

In a statement on Monday, the party said, “For behaving in a manner against the party’s principles and goals, for putting a black mark on the party’s dignity, for not following party discipline and for giving a bad name for the party, C Hari Prabhakaran (Joint Secretary, District Information Technology Cell), who belongs to the Kanchipuram East division of the party, is being expelled from all party posts, including as a member of the party. We request all party members to not have any contact with him any longer”.

The notice was signed by O Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswami.

Hari had tweeted saying, “Reporters are not allowed to shoot inside the hospital during the DCM visit - street dogs who shouts for biscuits will be tied on the gate rather allowing them inside”.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

Shortly after, Hari deleted his tweet and tweeted an apology stating, “All opinions expressed by me are personal and it is not official party view. I'm not authorised to express party views. I heard few people got hurt due to one of my tweet this morning. I don't have any animosity towards any group of people. My apologies to those who r hurt (sic).”

This was in reference to media personnel not being allowed inside during Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam’s visit to the Thoothukudi Government Hospital where victims of Tuticorin police shootings are recovering.

Journalists then took to Twitter to express their displeasure over the language used by the AIADMK member.

(The story was originally published on The News Minute and has been republished here with permission.)