TNCC chief denies Khushbu-Nagma rift

Chennai: After a show of unity through the protest demonstration against the arrest of party vice president Rahul Gandhi, TNCC chief S. Thirunavukkarasar on Monday denied that there was a quarrel between its women leaders from the tinsel town, Mahila Congress general secretary Nagma and all India spokesperson Khushbu on the same day.

Khushbu, who attended the protest demonstration ignored the Mahila Congress meeting which was held under Nagma on the same day. There were reports that Nagma had taken exception to Khushbu’s absence and flayed the latter for her comments on the uniform civil code.

The reports quoted a few women's wing functionaries and said Nagma had told the party functionaries that Khushbu, had married a Hindu and sported a tilak on her forehead, which is forbidden in Islam, adding that Khushbu had no locus standi to comment on Muslim traditions.

But, Thirunavukkarasar, denied the media reports and asserted that there was no difference between the two women leaders. He also asked the media not to create differences between them, but he did not deny that Khushbu did not attend the Mahila Congress meeting.

Khushbu's comments in a television interview had kicked up a row within the Congress, since state BJP leaders had pounced on it to embarrass the Congress, which is opposing the uniform civil code.

Union minister Pon. Radhakrishnan had cited Kushbu’s statement and asked other Congress leaders including Thirunavukkarasar to take lessons from her. Khushbu had blown hot and cold on the subject saying that uniform civil code could be welcomed as a measure for women's liberation. But, she also added that the BJP had no locus standi to impose it on Muslims, who should be allowed to discuss the issue among themselves and decide on the matter.