DMK MP’s ‘gaumutra states’ remark sparks row

New Delhi: A DMK MP in Lok Sabha sparked a controversy on Tuesday by describing Hindi heartland states as "gaumutra states", and said the BJP can win elections only there and not in south India. BJP leaders hit back at the DMK and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi if he agreed with the insulting remarks of its INDIA bloc partner against the north Indians.

Participating in a debate in the Lower House on two bills related to Jammu and Kashmir, D N V Senthilkumar said people of this country should think that the power of the BJP is only winning elections "in the heartland states of Hindi and what we generally called as gaumutra states". The comments come in the backdrop of some referring to the recent assembly election results as a 'North-South divide' after the BJP trounced the Congress in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the Congress won in Telangana.

During the elections, the row over some DMK leaders' remarks against Sanatan Dharma had been latched on by the BJP to target the Congress. Earlier this year, Congress had wrested Karnataka from the BJP, while other southern states are ruled by non-BJP parties including Tamil Nadu where Congress ally DMK is in power.

Speaking in Lok Sabha, Senthilkumar said, "You (BJP) cannot come to South India.

You see all the results of what happens in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka ... we are very strong over there."

He went on to say, "We will not be surprised if you have an option of converting all these states into Union territories so that you can come into indirect power because you can never dream of setting foot over there and taking control of all the southern states."