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Left Out of Rahul Gandhi Campaign, TNCC Pres Selvaperunthagai Claims ‘IT Raid & House Arrest’, IT Dept Flatly Denies Any Action

By
The Commune
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selvaperunthagai rahul gandhi

What began as a dramatic claim of an Income Tax raid has now spiralled into a full-blown political embarrassment for K. Selvaperunthagai, with multiple threads from a botched speech translation to his absence from key campaign events of Rahul Gandhi converging at once.

According to ground reports and party sources, Selvaperunthagai was not invited to Rahul Gandhi’s campaign stops in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, and Thoothukudi. This comes just days after his now-viral translation of Rahul Gandhi’s speech at Sholinghur, where what was said in English and what was rendered in Tamil were widely mocked online as completely mismatched. Even sections within the Congress are said to believe the mistranslation was not accidental.

Against this backdrop, Selvaperunthagai on Monday morning claimed on social media that officials from the Income Tax Department had descended on his Manimangalam residence, were conducting a raid, and had effectively placed him under house arrest preventing him from leaving to attend Rahul Gandhi’s campaign.

But the claim quickly unravelled.

The Income Tax Department issued a categorical denial, stating that no raid, no search, and no action of any kind had taken place at his residence.

Despite this, Selvaperunthagai continued through the day to repeat the claim while campaigning in Kunrathur, insisting he had been stopped from attending Rahul Gandhi’s event. At the same time, DMK alliance leaders and Congress functionaries initially condemned the alleged “raid” – only for the entire premise to collapse once the official denial came through.

Adding to the contradiction, the TNCC chief, who claimed he was confined inside his house, later walked out and addressed the media, directly undermining his own version of events.

Parallelly, Rahul Gandhi carried on with his campaign, addressing meetings in Nanguneri and moving on to Thoothukudi, without Selvaperunthagai present at any stage. His absence, in the middle of a high-stakes campaign tour in his own state, has only intensified speculation that he was sidelined following the translation controversy.

Political circles are now openly linking the two developments: the embarrassing mistranslation episode and the sudden ‘raid’ claim, with some within the Congress itself suggesting that the latter may have been used to explain away his conspicuous absence from Rahul Gandhi’s events.

The controversy also drew in MK Stalin, who reacted strongly to the initial raid claim. That reaction is now under scrutiny after the Income Tax Department’s outright denial, raising questions about whether the claim was amplified without basic verification.

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‘His Real Name Is Senthil Kumar, Has Gifted Rolls-Royces To Many Women’, Says Jose Charles Martin About TVK’s Aadhav Arjuna

By
The Commune
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'Aadhav Arjuna Was Sent As A Sleeper Cell To TVK', Says Lottery Martin’s Son Jose Charles Martin

Jose Charles Martin, the son of lottery king Charles Martin, has once again publicly tore into his own brother-in-law, Aadhav Arjuna, in a series of incendiary allegations that cut across both personal life and politics.

Campaigning in Villivakkam, Martin accused Arjuna of building his wealth through marriage, concealing his identity, maintaining multiple relationships, and even acting as a political infiltrator with a hidden agenda. The extraordinary public takedown, delivered from the stage during an active election, has injected a volatile mix of family conflict, character attacks, and conspiracy claims into an already charged political contest.

Speaking in support of the AIADMK candidate at Villivakkam, Jose Charles Martin said, “This person called Aadhav Arjuna is none other than my own brother-in-law. He keeps saying he became rich all of a sudden, that he became rich through hard work. He didn’t work hard and become rich, but he became rich by marrying my sister. He does politics using his mother’s name. When asked, he brought up a caste angle, he said something suggesting that she hanged herself due to the cruelty of poverty. But his mother’s sister Madam Thilagavathi, was the first IPS officer from Tamil Nadu. She has clearly said in an interview: this was a family dispute, there was absolutely no caste angle involved. Due to the cruelty of the mother-in-law, his mother had moved from the city to a village. Some troubles happened to them there. While they were taking advice from her, she got transferred to another town. And around that time she died by suicide. But the story he is giving, that entire story is a lie. His name is not even Adhava Arjuna first; it is Senthil Kumar. But if you ask him, he says he is a ‘Reddy.’ Let me tell you something, would you even commit fraud under a different name? Would you have changed the name even to that extent? Such a tragedy should not happen anywhere.”

He continued, “Don’t underestimate Aadhav Arjuna so easily. He’ll say ‘I’ll do good for you, I’ll do good for you.’ You know that Sathyaraj film – Amaidhi Padai. That film is very good. We watched it with great enjoyment as children. Can such a character actually exist? Can such a person exist? We’d think we should never encounter such a lowly person in our lives. But the surprise is, in the end, within our own family, that Amavasai character, he showed it to me. He even looks like Amavasai. Their entire history is a history of wrongs.”

He added, “I’ll say it again. This man, he came to TVK as an infiltrator, and has taken a vow that he will not leave until he destroys that party… I don’t know what madness has taken hold of him. They were called to all alliances, everyone spoke with them and in the end, this man, and that fellow Prashant Kishor came. It was through him that all this was planned and executed. In the end, these two together floated the image that ‘Vijay alone will be Chief Minister’ and a fellow named John Arogiyasamy, all of them conspired together. After this election, Vijay will scatter the vote percentage and act as a sleeper cell for DMK. Don’t ever forget this. If you let in such an evil force into your constituency, there’s no telling how he will auction it off piece by piece.”

At another meeting with the press, Martin levelled greater personal allegations against Aadhav Arjuna. He said, “He has gifted Rolls-Royces and such cars only to many ladies. He has many women, many relationships outside. He has many such habits in public life. He is a man who doesn’t even have the basic decency to maintain order within his own family.”

 

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Prakash Raj, The Bootlicker Of DMK

By
The Commune
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Radical leftist and DMK supporter Prakash Raj is now turning out to be a full-time bootlicker of the anti-Hindu party in Tamil Nadu.

These can be proved by his speeches, his statements and support for the DMK members, his campaign appearances and the unforgettable ‘coaching’ he received from Sekar Babu on how to praise the DMK.

Remarks Against Sundar C, A Fellow Cine Artist

Addressing a public gathering, Prakash Raj said, “There is a C Sundar here. I didn’t come here to speak derogatorily. Let me ask you a few questions. Mr. Sundar – you are a film director, fine, welcome to politics. But how did you get here? Until three days ago he was in a film shoot. Until three days ago you were shooting – yes or no? When someone suddenly announced you as a candidate, were you not surprised yourself? Until three days ago, you never stood up to speak about any problem facing the people of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, or Indian politics. You were going around calling yourself a great producer and director. Then the moment someone announced your name, you threw on a veshti – no wait, today saying pack up, you decided you want to become an MLA and you show up here? The people of Madurai have all been deceived. Let me be even clearer. Which party are you from? There is something called the ‘Pudhiya Needhi Katchi’ – what have you done in it? What are its policies? Isn’t it BJP’s ally? Because BJP can’t win here directly, the people of Madurai know that. So they gave two seats to that party. And out of those two seats, how did they suddenly give one to you three days before the election? Like the story of the elephant that put the garland – that’s the kind of story this is and you show up three days before. I’ll tell you this – to become a film director, how many years did you struggle? How much did you learn? You are a fine director today. And now you think you’ll just become an MLA? The people of Madurai, do they know what has happened, which ward, which constituency you represent? You’re just talking emptily. A ruling party will have strengths and weaknesses. Will you only point out the flaws and not celebrate the strengths? What kind of politics is this? I accept it, I will only point out flaws, I will not celebrate strengths. Every party has both. But that alone is not politics. Are you speaking to me? How big is your wife, by the way? She has been doing politics across three parties for ten years asking all kinds of questions. The MLA seat she couldn’t get, how did you get it? Don’t you think about that? How do we accept this degradation? Think about whom you are speaking about and speak with dignity. It was after hearing that undignified speech that I told PTR, ‘You don’t have that low caliber of speech, I will come and speak.’ I didn’t come to speak for myself. I came to stand with the people and speak for the people. That is why I am here. People, let me say one final thing. This slave gang, this film gang – do you want that? Or do you want our Dravidian model? You must think about this. And one more thing: This election is not between DMK and AIADMK alliances. This is not, as Vijay claims, between TVK and DMK. This is an election between unity and division.”

Coaching From Sekar Babu

In another instance, he was coached by DMK minister Sekar Babu during a press interaction on how to praise the DMK government. During the exchange, Sekar Babu guided him on what to say. Prakash Raj asked Sekar Baby, “Did I speak properly?” to which Sekar Babu responded, “Yes, yes. You spoke well. And now praise our CM.” Sekar Babu further instructed, “Just tell that our CM is ruling the state in a good manner. Just tell CM has implemented good plans and doing good governance.” Prakash Raj agreed to this too.

Eradicate Sanatana Dharma

In the backdrop of the ‘eradicate sanatana dharma’ remarks made by Udhayanidhi Stalin, addressing an event in Kalaburagi in September 2023, he supported Udhayanidhi, Prakash Raj reportedly stated that “Sanatana Dharma is like dengue fever and must be eradicated” – a remark that drew protests from Hindu organisations across Karnataka.

All these instances indicate that he is a great ally of the DMK and is often seen on DMK mouthpiece Sun TV giving interviews and bites to the channel disrespecting PM Modi.

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“Calls Me Outsider, Cinemakaaran, Imports One Himself, That Too Someone From Another State”, Sundar C Hits Back At PTR

By
The Commune
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"Calls Me Outsider, Cinemakaaran, Imports One Himself, That Too Someone From Another State", Sundar C Hits Back At PTR

The campaign for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections has reached a feverish pitch. One of the highlights of the polls is the battle for Madurai central constituency, where DMK’s PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan and AIADMK-backed Sundar C are contesting. The back and forth between the duo has made for some compelling political exchanges.

A few days ago, PTR derogated Sundar C by calling him ‘Cinema Sanghi’, ‘koothadi’ etc denoting his film background. He even called Sundar C, an ‘outsider’, a ‘cinemakaaran’, and kept beating his chest proudly calling himself a ‘Maduraikaaran’.

However, on 19 April 2026, PTR had to bring in radical leftist and DMK supporter actor Prakash Raj – a Tuluva by origin.

Responding to this, Sundar C spoke to mediapersons and called out PTR’s hypocrisy in his characteristically satirical manner.

He said, “Here is a wonderful irony: the person who called me ‘cinema fellow,’ ‘cinema sanghi,’ and so on, that very person now needs a film personality to come and campaign for him. And he calls others ‘outsiders’, yet he has imported someone from another state. What a thing! Why did friend Mr. Prakash Raj have to come? I would say it is because the party leadership itself has abandoned this candidate. Because their future leader, the respected Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Udhayanidhi Stalin, came to Madurai and campaigned in every constituency except Madurai Central. So you can all understand exactly how much influence this candidate has even within his own party. In such a situation, a person who has done nothing for ten years is now sitting here saying ‘if I win the election, I will do this, I will do that.’ Someone who has no influence even within his own party, what good can he possibly do for Madurai Central tomorrow?”

When asked about DMDK chief Premalatha and her campaigning that seem to be beneficial to the NDA rather than the DMK alliance, he said, “Actually, I genuinely believe that Anniyar (a candidate/public figure), though nominally inside the DMK alliance, is actually helping the AIADMK alliance because she herself said what we needed to say. She had the courage to sit on the same stage as the Chief Minister and say that sexual violence against women and a ganja culture are spreading in Tamil Nadu. I see Anniyar as that courageous, brave woman. And if you walk around Madurai Central constituency, you’ll see it yourself, not a single streetlight is working in any lane. How can women be safe in those conditions? And the use of ganja here is extreme. So, I have made promises to everyone: With God’s grace, with the blessings of the people of Madurai Central, if I win, within three months of winning, every lane and street in Madurai Central will have streetlights installed. CCTV cameras will be installed everywhere. Every street and lane will be under 24-hour police surveillance. When that is done, no injustice or violence against women will go unchecked. This is the kind of basic thing the sitting MLA has not done for this constituency.”

When asked about PTR’s image that might work against him, Sundar C said, “That personal image is now all torn up. He calls himself educated and intelligent, and you’ve all seen what he said about me. He speaks in singular, everyone is watching. People don’t vote for image alone. They look at what good you have done for them. He won the last two elections. But look at the state of the constituency after those wins. What name has this constituency earned? It has been called ‘India’s premier garbage city.’ People are watching all of this. The era of voting based on image alone or family background is over. They did it twice, that’s how it went. He calls himself so educated and intelligent, okay. In the last five years, the Tamil Nadu government has borrowed ₹5.5 lakh crore in debt. This man was Finance Minister for two years. If he was so efficient, why did the Chief Minister remove him from that post? Did they give any reason? Was it his inefficiency? Then in the party post, he was IT Wing Secretary. That post was also taken away and given not to his senior but to his junior. So both in government and in party, his efficiency did not satisfy the Chief Minister. A student who doesn’t study is the one who gets failed. How do you fail a student who studies? That is the question I am asking.”

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“Stop Bootlicking DMK”: AIADMK’s Kovai Sathyan Hit Backs At Radical Leftist DMK Stooge Prakash Raj

By
The Commune
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"Stop Bootlicking DMK": AIADMK's Kovai Sathyan Hit Backs At Radical Leftist DMK Stooge Prakash Raj

Actor and radical leftist Prakash Raj, campaigning in support of DMK’s PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan in the Madurai Central constituency, launched a sharp attack on AIADMK candidate Sundar C, questioning his political credentials and entry into electoral politics.

Addressing a public gathering, Prakash Raj said, “There is a C Sundar here. I didn’t come here to speak derogatorily. Let me ask you a few questions. Mr. Sundar – you are a film director, fine, welcome to politics. But how did you get here? Until three days ago he was in a film shoot. Until three days ago you were shooting – yes or no? When someone suddenly announced you as a candidate, were you not surprised yourself? Until three days ago, you never stood up to speak about any problem facing the people of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, or Indian politics. You were going around calling yourself a great producer and director. Then the moment someone announced your name, you threw on a veshti – no wait, today saying pack up, you decided you want to become an MLA and you show up here? The people of Madurai have all been deceived. Let me be even clearer. Which party are you from? There is something called the ‘Pudhiya Needhi Katchi’ – what have you done in it? What are its policies? Isn’t it BJP’s ally? Because BJP can’t win here directly, the people of Madurai know that. So they gave two seats to that party. And out of those two seats, how did they suddenly give one to you three days before the election? Like the story of the elephant that put the garland – that’s the kind of story this is and you show up three days before. I’ll tell you this – to become a film director, how many years did you struggle? How much did you learn? You are a fine director today. And now you think you’ll just become an MLA? The people of Madurai, do they know what has happened, which ward, which constituency you represent? You’re just talking emptily. A ruling party will have strengths and weaknesses. Will you only point out the flaws and not celebrate the strengths? What kind of politics is this? I accept it, I will only point out flaws, I will not celebrate strengths. Every party has both. But that alone is not politics. Are you speaking to me? How big is your wife, by the way? She has been doing politics across three parties for ten years asking all kinds of questions. The MLA seat she couldn’t get, how did you get it? Don’t you think about that? How do we accept this degradation? Think about whom you are speaking about and speak with dignity. It was after hearing that undignified speech that I told PTR, ‘You don’t have that low caliber of speech, I will come and speak.’ I didn’t come to speak for myself. I came to stand with the people and speak for the people. That is why I am here. People, let me say one final thing. This slave gang, this film gang – do you want that? Or do you want our Dravidian model? You must think about this. And one more thing: This election is not between DMK and AIADMK alliances. This is not, as Vijay claims, between TVK and DMK. This is an election between unity and division.”

The remarks triggered a political response from the AIADMK. Party spokesperson Kovai Sathyan criticised Prakash Raj and questioned his stance, stating, “Someone is the DCM of TN, and his name is Udhayanidhi Stalin. Will you stop bootlicking DMK and have some spine to ask the same question to the Karunanidhi family.”

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Bottle Thrown At DMK Leader Dindigul Leoni In Vijay-Contested Trichy East Constituency During Campaign

By
The Commune
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Bottle Thrown At DMK Leader Dindigul Leoni In Vijay-Contested Trichy East Constituency During Campaign

With campaigning for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections entering its final phase ahead of polling on 23 April 2026, a tense incident at a high-profile campaign event in the Trichy East constituency has triggered widespread concern.

Dindigul Leoni, chairman of the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation and DMKleader, was reportedly targeted when an unidentified person hurled a glass bottle at him during a late-night campaign on 19 April 2026. He was campaigning at the Keezhaputhur Arasamaram area in support of Inigo Irudayaraj, the sitting MLA and candidate of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

During his speech, Leoni made a pointed remark on alleged inducements in elections, stating: “We can give a coupon for gold or clothes. But if we give ₹2,000, can we get votes just by giving a dhoti (veshti)?”

The Trichy East constituency has emerged as a key battleground in the ongoing elections, drawing statewide attention as Vijay, leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, is also contesting. The contest is widely seen as a direct and intense fight between Vijay and Inigo Irudayaraj, with Rajasekar of the AIADMK also in the fray.

The incident occurred while Leoni was addressing a gathering and highlighting the DMK government’s one-year achievements and welfare schemes. According to eyewitnesses, unidentified individuals from within the crowd suddenly threw an empty glass bottle towards the stage. The bottle landed just in front of Leoni’s face, struck the campaign vehicle, and shattered on impact.

The sudden attack caused panic at the venue, with party workers and members of the public scattering in different directions. The disruption briefly halted the campaign and raised immediate concerns over the adequacy of security arrangements at political events involving senior speakers.

Despite the proximity of the attack, Leoni escaped without any injuries.

 

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This is not the first such incident involving him. In 2016, stones were reportedly thrown at Leoni during a campaign event in Madurai, as reported in Indian Express Tamil. 

Following the incident, DMK cadres at the venue reportedly attempted to stage a protest, further escalating tensions at the site.

The Tiruchirappalli City Police have registered a case and initiated a search to identify and apprehend those responsible. Investigations are currently underway.

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From “DMK Must Go” To “DMK Must Win”: DMK Stooge Kamal Haasan’s 5-Year U-Turn

By
The Commune
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From "DMK Must Go" To "DMK Must Win": DMK Stooge Kamal Haasan's 5-Year U-Turn

In Coimbatore on Sunday, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president and DMK stooge Kamal Haasan stood beside DMK’s Coimbatore South candidate V Senthil Balaji and declared with characteristic flair: “Coimbatore is going to create a new change in Tamil Nadu’s political history. There is one fort, Fort St. George, and here too there is going to be a fort. The person who is going to begin and set this off is him. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam this is going to become a fort.”

It was a rousing endorsement. It was also, for anyone with a memory longer than five years, a stunning reversal.

What Kamal Haasan Said in 2021

Rewind to 2021. MNM was contesting the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections independently, positioning itself as the clean alternative to the two-party Dravidian duopoly. Kamal Haasan, campaigning for his own party against the DMK, told voters in the same Coimbatore: “When the great party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, was formed; it was the compulsion of that era. That is why it was formed. Today, its departure too is the compulsion of this era.”

He did not stop there. Addressing voters directly, he said, “You, who have the eligibility and the right to put that era behind us, must demonstrate it. Only if you do that will the country be set right. I don’t need to explain to you the logic that replacing one corrupt party with another corrupt party simply cannot be the answer.”

Read that last line again. “Replacing one corrupt party with another corrupt party simply cannot be the answer.”

In 2021, Kamal Haasan stood in Coimbatore and told voters that DMK’s departure was a historical necessity – a relic of a corrupt old order that Tamil Nadu needed to move past. Five years later, he returned to the same city to campaign for the same party, calling it a fort of hope. The candidate he is now endorsing, V Senthil Balaji, was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case in 2023, precisely the kind of figure his 2021 rhetoric was written to describe.

MNM won zero seats on the strength of that anti-DMK campaign; its leader is now on stage for DMK. Political realignments happen, but most politicians manage them without having left behind quite so precise and quotable a verdict on the party they now champion and Kamal Haasan’s explanation for the change in his original stance to align fully with the DMK – just to keep the BJP or rather ‘saffron forces’ away is a lie he is telling himself and fooling the people too.

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Christutva Politics: “We See You As Prime Minister, Only You Can Protect Us”, Church Priests & Pastors Extend Support To ‘Secular’ Stalin

By
The Commune
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On 19 April 2026, a delegation of Christian religious leaders and representatives of multiple church organisations met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin at his residence in Chennai, expressing support and raising concerns related to minority rights, while political messaging attributed to Christian bodies triggered fresh controversy during the ongoing election period.

The meeting was led by Archbishop Chinnappa and included representatives from a wide spectrum of organisations, including the South India Church, National Council of Churches in India, Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, Orthodox Church, Jesus Calls, AG Church, Indian Evangelical Church, Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, and the Jesus Redeems organisation. DMK MP P. Wilson was also present during the interaction.

During the meeting, bishops conveyed their appreciation to Stalin, stating that minorities felt secure under his leadership. They expressed gratitude for what they described as his stance in safeguarding minority communities.

One said, “We convey our greetings to you. Just as you raised your voice powerfully and strongly for the Delimitation Bill and established justice, you continue to speak out on many issues and concerns, not only for the Christian minority but for everyone whose lives are threatened. You always stand for justice. We are happy. The entire Christian community stands with you and will continue to stand with you; there is absolutely no doubt about that. Thank you.”

The next one said, “Your journey will surely succeed going forward, we have no doubt about that, not even a little. And in the same spirit for which we have gathered here, as all the bishops have said, we support you through our prayers so that you may stand firmly.”

The third said, “For the first time, a single leader in India has raised his voice against this law, against this bill. Similarly, MP Wilson has also spoken in Parliament. First they isolated the Muslim brothers and crushed them. Now they are trying to isolate and destroy the Christian minority, to strangle their voice. That is why we have come to you. You are our hope.”

A lady said, “In the last 10 years alone, over 20,000 FCRA [Foreign Contribution Regulation Act] registrations have been cancelled – 70% of them belonging to Christian communities. As if that’s not enough, they are now planning to bring an Amendment Bill that will impact us even more. Only you can protect this minority community, specifically our Christian community. Just as you defeated the Delimitation Amendment Bill, we, all Christians, earnestly request you to defeat the FCRA Amendment Bill as well. We firmly believe you will certainly do this. God bless you.”

The next one said, “You are the only CM fighting for the minorities continuously. You are reading and seeing on TV – the Delimitation Bill was defeated two to three days back because of your efforts only. You are the first CM to react and condemn that it should be scrapped, should not be entertained.”

Another said, “A hundred years ago, there were no schools in India other than Christian schools. Today, Christian schools and homes are being systematically destroyed by the Central government. Only you can do this. We do not see you as a State leader, we see you as a national leader. We do not see you as Chief Minister, we see you as Prime Minister. You must come and do all these things.” (Conveys greetings on behalf of the Church.)

 

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Following the meeting, pamphlets circulated in the name of Christian organisations contained sharply worded political messaging. The content of these pamphlets stated that it was the “duty of Christians” to defeat “Sanatan forces” allegedly attempting to turn Tamil Nadu into a “land of unrest.” The pamphlets further claimed that restrictions imposed by the central BJP government on foreign funding had adversely affected the functioning of Christian institutions.

The pamphlets also referred to actor-politician Vijay, stating that although he had described the BJP as his ideological opponent, he had not demonstrated it in practice. Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman was accused in the pamphlets of promoting “Tamil Hindutva” by invoking Lord Murugan as a civilisational ancestor.

While acknowledging that the DMK government had its shortcomings, the pamphlets asserted that it was actively opposing “communal politics.” They emphasised that in the current election, the priority should not be who wins but who must be defeated, clearly signalling a call for strategic voting. The messaging explicitly warned voters against supporting smaller parties, stating that doing so could enable the growth of “communal forces” in Tamil Nadu.

However, on the same day, the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC), a Catholic body withdrew its endorsement of the alliance, after the office-bearers of the Tamil Thesiya Christian Iyakam demanded an explanation from the TNBC over distribution of pamphlets among parish members soliciting votes for the DMK alliance.

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DMK Leader RS Bharathi Peddles Fake News About Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu

By
The Commune
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DMK Leader RS Bharathi Peddles Fake News About Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu

On 17 April 2026, DMK leader RS Bharathi peddled fake news alleging that ₹70 lakh in cash, purportedly linked to Zoho chief Sridhar Vembu, was seized by election flying squad officials while being routed to a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate contesting in the ongoing Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Addressing the media, Bharathi claimed that Vembu, whom he described as a wealthy industrialist with substantial holdings across companies and shares, had been transferring large sums of money in the names of BJP functionaries. He alleged that on the previous day, a sum of ₹70 lakh sent in this manner was intercepted and confiscated by election authorities during routine surveillance operations.

According to Bharathi, the amount had allegedly been released through a single cheque of ₹70 lakh to a specific individual. He stated that the recipient had encashed the cheque and was in the process of distributing the cash when election flying squad personnel apprehended the movement and seized the money.

The DMK leader further alleged that such financial transactions were not isolated and suggested a pattern of repeated transfers. He called for a detailed scrutiny of Vembu’s financial dealings, urging the Income Tax Department to examine the source and trail of funds.

Bharathi also pressed the Election Commission of India to initiate a comprehensive inquiry into the incident, including the circumstances under which the funds were transferred, encashed, and allegedly intended for distribution during the election period.

He stated that a formal complaint had been submitted to election authorities seeking immediate action, enhanced monitoring, and accountability. He emphasised that both election officials and tax authorities must coordinate to investigate the matter thoroughly to ensure compliance with electoral laws and prevent unlawful influence on voters.

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu refuted the allegations completely labelling it as fake news.

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Foreign-Funded Christian Groups In Tamil Nadu Indirectly Canvass Votes For DMK, Complaint Filed With Election Commission

By
The Commune
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A formal complaint has been submitted to the Election Commission of India alleging that politically charged pamphlets were circulated inside churches across Tamil Nadu during Sunday prayers on 19 April 2026, in the middle of the ongoing Assembly election cycle. The complaint raises concerns of electoral malpractice, religious mobilisation, and possible violations of both the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

According to the complaint, the pamphlets, reportedly distributed in multiple districts, contained explicit political messaging framed in religious and ideological terms. The material is said to have been circulated within church premises during congregational gatherings, a factor that significantly escalates the seriousness of the allegations given the legal prohibition on using religious platforms for electoral influence.

The pamphlets allegedly carried the names of three organisations: the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, the Tamil Nadu Christian Rights Movement, and the Tamil Nadu Christian Unity Council. While the complaint notes that the authenticity of the documents requires independent verification, it asserts that the content itself raises serious legal red flags.

A detailed review of the pamphlet, as cited in the complaint, highlights several contentious elements. These include direct criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its policies, alongside messaging that portrays rival political formations particularly alliances led by the DMK in a more favourable light. The pamphlet reportedly warns that the continuation of a particular political ideology could reduce non-Hindus to “second-class citizens,” a statement the complainant argues is capable of instilling fear among minority voters and influencing electoral behaviour.

Further, the material allegedly frames the election as a battle between “communal” and “secular” forces, asserting that defeating the former is more important than determining the winner. It also includes direct appeals to the Christian community to vote collectively based on religious and ideological considerations, while cautioning against the “splitting of votes” and urging consolidation behind a specific ideological bloc.

The complaint argues that such messaging goes beyond political commentary and amounts to a targeted attempt to influence voters on religious grounds. It invokes Sections 123(3) and 123(3A) of the Representation of the People Act, which prohibit appeals to religion in elections and the promotion of enmity between communities. The structured nature of the messaging, its targeted audience, and its dissemination through places of worship are cited as aggravating factors.

A significant dimension of the complaint relates to foreign funding. The Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council is stated to be registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, with Registration No. 076040254, and is reportedly a recipient of substantial foreign contributions. The complaint argues that if any involvement of an FCRA-registered entity in the creation or distribution of the pamphlets is established, it could amount to a violation of provisions that bar the use of foreign funds for political purposes.

The complainant has urged the Election Commission to immediately investigate the origin, authorship, funding, and distribution network of the pamphlets. It has also sought identification of the role, if any, played by the named organisations and requested that the matter be referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs for a parallel probe under FCRA provisions. Preventive steps, including seizure of the material and directions to halt further circulation, have also been demanded.

The complaint warns that the issue is not an isolated incident but one with wider implications for electoral integrity and communal harmony. It argues that failure to act decisively could embolden similar practices and undermine confidence in the conduct of free and fair elections in the state.

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