Chennai, Sep 22 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Finance Minister P.T.R. Thiaga Rajan has drawn flak for using the word 'schizophrenic' against state BJP chief K. Annamalai.

In a tweet, Thiaga Rajan said: "So... the schizophrenic 'Kannadiga till I die', except when '100% Tamil', OR 'IPS-version' threat issuer, turns out to be the Fake-News-Dolt-in-Chief?? And his position on Petrol/Diesel in GST is 100% opposite of BJP Govt's @ Delhi, UP, Gujarat etc."

The minister was hinting at comments made by Annamalai when he was an IPS officer in Karnataka about him being a Kannadiga, before later stating that he is 100 per cent Tamil after becoming the state BJP President.

The minister was responding to the BJP chief's statement that Thiaga Rajan did not attend the GST Council meeting in Lucknow as he was attending a "baby shower function of his sister-in-law".

Several persons have now objected to Thiaga Rajan using the term 'schizophrenia'.

G. Manonmani, a professor of political Science in Chennai, told IANS, "The minister is mocking a psychological condition. It is not a good thing in a civil society."

Deepaknathan, a social activist, told IANS, "Using a psycho social term like schizophrenia to label political opponents to insult them can never be accepted."

Thiaga Rajan, however, said that he had studied psychology for five years as a graduate student, adding that he has never used such a term against any other politician.

R. Padmanabhan, Director, Social Economic Development Foundation, a think-tank based out of Salem, told IANS, "The term schizophrenia can never be used. The state Finance Minister seems to have lost control over the word. It should not have been used to insult anyone."