BJP member and actor Khushbu Sundar, who was slammed by Dalit activists for using the term ‘Cheri language’ to underline the use of foul language against women in response to a social media post, tried to wriggle out of the tight spot by offering a rather bizarre explanation that she had actually used the French word ‘Chéri’, meaning beloved, and not the Tamil word ‘Cheri’.
In her response to a post on X (formerly Twitter) about the ‘hypocrisy’ of the National Commission for Women (of which she is a nominated member), with respect to taking action in cases of sexual assault against women in Manipur and actor Mansoor Ali Khan for his comments against actor Trisha Krishnan, Ms. Khushbu had said: “This is what DMK goons do. Use foul language. But this is what they are taught. To insult a woman. Sorry, can’t speak your Cheri language, but I would suggest [you] wake up and look [at] what was spoken and the action taken.”
The rest of her post warned Chief Minister M.K. Stalin against having such “fools around him”.
Neelam Cultural Centre, an organisation founded by filmmaker Pa. Ranjith, who has been raising issues surrounding Dalit rights, demanded an “unconditional apology” from the BJP leader. “In Mrs. Khushbu’s response to a post, she labels the use of foul language. Cheri is the Tamil word for Dalit ghettos, the place that has witnessed inter-generational resistance of Dalit women against caste, gender and other forms of oppression. Normalising the colloquial use of this term to denote disrespect, within the connotation of profanity disregards the history, culture and lives of the community,” the statement said.
When activists and social media users pointed out her faux pas, Ms. Khushbu explained herself in a way that resulted in bewilderment and ridicule. She wrote: “Would like to educate the educated illiterates a little about it. My tweet is laced with sarcasm. Cheri is a word in French that means beloved or loved. It was used in that context to show the troll from the ‘goons’ party that I share love. I have always been proud of the values instilled in me by my mother. I am someone who has always been in the forefront for the rights of underprivileged.”
