A war of words erupted between BJP leaders and DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran after he called members of the party's IT wing "jobless barbers" on Saturday. This came weeks after an old video of Maran surfaced where he made remarks about Hindi speakers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. 

In the four-year-old video, the DMK MP remarked, "the Hindi speakers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar clean toilets in Tamil Nadu". It sparked a controversy and BJP leaders said Maran insulted North Indians.

When asked about the reaction from the BJP leaders, Maran on Saturday said BJP IT Wing members have been attempting to create a ruckus and compared them to "jobless barbers". 

"Jobless barbers catch hold of cats and shave its fur. Similarly, BJP IT Wing, especially national level IT Wing members want to create a ruckus using anything," said Dayanidhi Maran. 

Tamil Nadu BJP leaders condemned Maran's remark and said he insulted barbers.

BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai slammed Maran, saying the DMK MP excels in "degrading someone's profession or language". 

Taking to X, Annamalai wrote, "Instead of apologising, Thiru Dayanidhi Maran calls those spreading and reacting to his rants on our North Indian brothers and sisters the work of a "Jobless Barber".

BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also slammed Maran and said the DMK MP displayed an "elitist and casteist mindset" with his remark. 

Poonawalla addressed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and asked, "Rahul Baba is busy doing photo ops with kisan, mechanics etc. Will he say if this statement is part of 'Mohabbat ki Dukaan'?"

(With inputs from agencies)