Senior AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan on Saturday (5 October) made a bizarre statement in defence of a former councillor from his party who is facing prosecution for placing a banner which fell and killed a 23-year old woman engineer, Subhashree. He suggested that instead of his party’s functionary Jayagopal, the wind should be booked for causing the techie’s death, reports Hindustan Times.

Saying that Jayagopal, having put up the banner for an upcoming family marriage function, had not himself pulled it down upon the victim, Ponnaiyan reasoned that it was wrong for a case to be registered him.

“It was the wind flow which tumbled the banner. If at all a case has to be filed, it has to be filed against the wind,” he stated.

The former minister’s statement drew widespread backlash from users on social media and from AIADMK’s political opposition.

DMK spokesperson Annadurai accused him of mocking the demise of Subhashree; she claimed that no leader from the AIADMK had even gone and met with the victim’s family yet.

For his part, Ponnaiyan remained firm on his statement, and claimed that his remarks were misinterpreted.

“Putting up banners ahead of functions is a common practice across the country. As wild winds had blown on the day, it pulled the hoarding on Subhashree. So, the wind is the only reason for this incident. So, I mentioned this in my television interview,” he said.