The hashtag #BanManu has been trending on Twitter as the tweeple across Tamil Nadu has been taking the social media site with the staunch demand of banning the Hindu laws Manudharma, which has now been centered with heated politics with leaders from both sides of the aisle coming against each other in supporting and opposing the ancient laws as it had stirred controversy and outrage in the state. 

The outrage was stirred when the Central ruling BJP had scripted the criticism against Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) Chief Thol. Thirumavalavan by alleging that the latter had degraded women over his remarks while speaking about Manusmriti and its views on women and Sanatana dharma. BJP had alleged that Thirumavalavan had spoken against women in the context of Manusmriti and the state leaders of the Central ruling party have been castigating the VCK leader. 

The outrage and controversy had emerged through Thirumavalan's recent video. According to reports, the VCK Chief was addressing the webinar organized on 'Periyar and Indian Politics' in September 2020. He spoke about how women were treated in Manu dharma, what is says about women and how they are oppressed. In the webinar, Thirumavalan can be heard saying that Manu dharma says women are created by God as prostitutes and as per Hindu dharma, all women are prostitutes. 

However, a video of his speech in webinar without the referral and mention of Manu dharma has been widely circulated on social media sites in which many had voiced against the VCK leader for calling women as prostitutes. Finding a factor to stir up the issue, Hindu nationalist BJP had taken the matter and strongly accused Thirumalavan of degrading women as prostitutes.  BJP had managed to keep the fire and launched intense attacks against the VCK Chief. 

Leading the attack from BJP is recently joined actor turned politician Khushbu Sundar. Addressing the reporters on Friday at the BJP state headquarters in Chennai, the actor said that women cannot be objectified and stated that Thirumavalan is the leader of the political party and he should be aware of what he is speaking and Khushbu urged the VCK Chief to apologize for his remarks. Senior Tamil Nadu BJP leaders like Narayanan had criticized the VCK Chief for his remarks against women. 

However, after being centered on the allegations from the BJP, Thirumalavan had issued his response in which he asserted that he said how Manusmriti demeans women and stated that a particular group has been spreading falsehood against him and creating an impression that he had spoken against women. By citing that this is completely unacceptable, the VCK Chief said Manu dharma was the only reason for the current state of women. It had rejected education for them, suppressed the right to expression, blocked property rights, imposed authoritarianism, and buried women under slavery.

Thirumavalan said that his party has been struggling for the emancipation of women and those who unable to tolerate the party's wish are spreading such things to create chaos in the alliance ahead of the state elections. VCK MP Ravikumar had posted one of the chapters of Manu Dharma and exhibited the chapter as the reason why the party demands to ban Manu Dharma. However, amid the assertion from the VCK Chief, the BJP had approached the Chennai police and filed a complaint against Thirumavalan over his remarks against women. 

According to reports, the Chennai police had filed a complaint against Thirumalavan on Friday based on an online complaint by BJP legal cell state secretary Ashwathaman. The BJP leader had asked the police to take action against Thirumavalan and the Youtube channel that published the webinar under the grounds of creating enmity between two groups and for promoting false information. Following the development, Thirumavalan had called the Tamil Nadu people to protest the party against the Manu Dharma, and activists and anti-caste people have been voicing in support of Thirumavalavan and joined him in his demand of #BanManu across the state.