Tamil Nadu governor pats woman journalist on cheek, sparks outrage

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has courted controversy when he diplomatically patted a woman journalist on the cheek without her consent, apparently in an attempt to to parry a question.

This happened toward the end of a press conference at the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday in which the 78-year-old governor dismissed as 'nonsense' and 'baseless', an allegation that he was being probed for sexual misconduct by the Union Home Ministry.

The act was immediately denounced by Opposition party leaders , who , without casting any aspersions on his part, said it was "unbecoming" of a person holding a Constitutional post.


DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi tweeted "even if the intention is above suspicion, a person who holds a public office has to understand that there is a decorum to it and violating a woman journalist's personal space does not reflect the dignity or the respect which should be shown to any human being."

"It is not only unfortunate, but unbecoming of a person holding a constitutional post," DMK Working President M K Stalin said in his twitter handle.

The woman journalist, working with a leading English magazine said in her tweet "I asked TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit a question as his press conference was ending. He decided to patronisingly ? and without consent ? pat me on the cheek as a reply."

The journalist, Lakshmi Subramanian further said, "here is what I have to say his excellency Governor Mr Banwarilal Purohit... so agitated... Mr Purohit. it might be an act of appreciation by you and grandfatherly attitude, but to me you are wrong."

She further said it was unprofessional behaviour and completely uncalled for to touch a stranger without consent