Stalin Calls for Action Against Deputy Speaker and MLA Over Misconduct Allegations

DMK chief M.K. Stalin on Thursday urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to take concrete action against Deputy Speaker M. Ravishankar and MLA Arul Vignesh over separate misconduct allegations. A video released earlier this week showed a local resident accusing Ravishankar of assaulting him after the resident raised a civic issue. Stalin said Vijay’s warning that erring MLAs would not be spared was merely a "Deepavali gift" and fell short of real punishment. The party filed a petition with the Director-General of Police demanding an inquiry into Vignesh’s alleged obscene message to the Kallakurichi District Collector. Party organisation secretary R.S. Bharathi asked the CB‑CID to investigate impartially, noting that the DGP had met the chief minister and the ADGP had received the complaint. He warned that ignoring the case could hurt law and order in the state. Social media buzz highlighted reports that the collector’s husband lodged a police complaint. Bharathi said Vignesh, allegedly drunk, sent the message and visited the collector’s residence, and that party district secretary Vasantham Karthikeyan had already filed a police complaint. Vignesh has denied sending any such message. ## Context In Tamil Nadu the DMK leads the state government, so allegations against its own legislators raise questions about internal discipline and the party’s handling of misconduct.