Jayalalithaa's saree was pulled, says Sitharaman: What happened in TN Assembly in 1989?

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman invoked the humiliation of Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa in 1989 while targeting the Opposition for its attacks on the Centre over violence against women in Manipur. Referring to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi’s remark mentioning Draupadi, Sitharaman said in Lok Sabha during the debate on the no-confidence motion today (10 August), “Women suffering anywhere, be it Manipur or Rajasthan or Delhi, we have to take it seriously, but there should be no politics over it.”

She then went on to remind the Lower House of the violence that took place in 1989 in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that arguably transformed the state’s politics.

What was the incident? What did Nirmala Sitharaman say? We explain.

1989 TN Assembly incident

There are several narratives of what took place inside the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on 25 March 1989. However, as per one of the most accepted versions, Jayalalithaa was consistently interrupting the then chief minister M Karunanidhi’s Budget speech before he made counter-accusations, as per Indian Express.

As Karunanidhi, who also held the Finance portfolio, rose to present the state Budget, Leader of Opposition and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa accused him of tapping her phones and allowing the police’s heavy-handed treatment against her, reported The Hindu.

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She also reportedly said that a person charged with “criminal acts” should not present the state Budget and sought to move a Breach of Privilege motion against the chief minister. This led to retorts from Karunanidhi, which resulted in an AIADMK MLA pushing a bench in front of the chief minister. As Karunanidhi lost his balance, a ruckus broke out in the House, as per The Hindu report.

When Jayalalithaa tried to leave the House, DMK minister Durai Murugan reportedly caught hold of her saree, which created a rip in the garment.

As per The News Minute (TNM), as Jayalalithaa was trying to leave surrounded by Opposition leaders who had created a human shield around her, Murugan rushed towards the AIADMK leader to “hit her”.

According to The Hindu’s report at the time, Jayalalithaa had alleged, “They all concentrated on me and directed blows on my head. Throwing the podium, the bell on the Speaker’s table, big pads and bundles of Budget papers, books and whatever missiles they could lay their hands on. I felt giddy and almost fainted. When party MLAs tried to escort me out, a DMK minister caught hold of my saree and pulled it. This resulted in the safety pin on the shoulder giving way and causing bleeding injuries. The saree was torn.”

#NirmalaSitharaman#ParliamentSession
Thread Alert 🔹: Nirmala Sitaraman mam recounted in Parliament about a harrowing incident that befell Jayalalithaa. Her words shed light on the challenges faced by Jayalalithaa mam in politics. pic.twitter.com/avR5YoNqnW

— Vigneshwaran (@Iamvicky099) August 10, 2023

Photo that ‘changed’ TN politics

Sivaraman, a former Indian Express photographer, had captured a picture of a dishevelled Jayalalithaa looking through her torn saree after the incident. As per TNM, this image may have been a “turning point” in Tamil Nadu politics.
Speaking to the digital news outlet in 2016, Sivaraman recalled, “I was quite young then. I went to her house in Poes Garden quite late, after all the photographers had already left.”

He said he was told to wait and a little later Jayalalithaa came out wearing the torn saree. “Her hair was in disarray. She told me, see what atrocity these people have done!”

“She was not that powerful or imposing then,” he told TNM. “It was a black and white photo. I framed her looking through the hole in the saree. Then I went back to the office.”

The incident generated public sympathy among the people of Tamil Nadu. After the assault, Jayalalithaa had vowed to return to the Assembly only as chief minister.

In 1991, she became the chief minister for the first time with the AIADMK-Congress alliance winning 225 seats out of 234 seats, as per Indian Express.

According to TNM, Jayalalithaa’s dishevelled picture published in Indian Express had evoked sympathy among the public, particularly the “women voters who identified with her struggle in a male dominant, patriarchal society”.

What did Sitharaman say?

Targeting Kanimozhi, the Union finance minister said, “You speak of the Kaurava Sabha, of Draupadi. Have you forgotten Jayalalithaa?"

#WATCH | FM says, "I agree that women suffering anywhere - Manipur, Delhi, Rajasthan - will have to be taken seriously. No politics played. But I want to remind this entire House of one incident which happened on 25th March 1989 in Tamil Nadu Assembly. Then she hadn't become CM… pic.twitter.com/DRUTV4qeIg

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2023

“I want to remind this entire House of one incident which happened on 25 March 1989 in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Jayalalithaa’s saree was pulled in Tamil Nadu Assembly. She was the Leader of Opposition. The DMK members who were seated there, heckled her and laughed at her… Has the DMK forgotten Jayalalithaa? You pulled her saree, you demeaned her. That day Jayalalithaa took an oath that she will never come to the House unless she becomes the CM. Two years later, she returned as the CM of Tamil Nadu…” Sitharaman said, as per ANI.

With inputs from agencies