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Cash For Votes: DMK Gives ₹5000 To Women To Counter Mounting Anti-Incumbency

stalin dmk cash

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Friday announced the disbursal of ₹5,000 to women beneficiaries under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam, positioning the move as part of his government’s continued commitment to women’s welfare ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

In a post on X, Stalin said the payment covers three months, February, March, and April, with ₹3,000 constituting the regular monthly entitlement and an additional ₹2,000 provided as a “summer special” assistance. According to the Chief Minister, the amount has already been credited to 1.31 crore women enrolled under the scheme.

Stalin framed the transfer as a matter of rights rather than welfare, writing: “The financial assistance given by this Stalin to the women of Tamil Nadu is a pledge — it is their right.
No matter who creates obstacles, I will not step back from it.
Citing the election, they are trying to block the entitlement amount for three months. But our #DravidianModel government has pre-empted it! As advance payment for February, March, and April — ₹3,000 + a summer special package of ₹2,000!
₹5,000 has been credited this morning to all 1.31 crore beneficiaries of the Kalaignar Women’s Entitlement Scheme.
With the support of #Winning_Tamil_Women, we will continue to win! In #DravidianModel 2.0, we will increase the ₹1,000 entitlement amount to ₹2,000 and provide it!
This is the promise that this Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin gives to my sisters!”

The Chief Minister also alleged that attempts were being made to delay the payments for three months by citing the election schedule, asserting that his government had acted in advance to ensure uninterrupted disbursal. He further promised that under a proposed “Dravidian Model 2.0,” the monthly assistance would be doubled from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000.

The announcement comes at a time when the anti-incumbency against the ruling DMK is hitting the roof. This move is expected to foreground women-centric welfare measures as a key campaign plank in the run-up to the state elections.

Timing Raises “Cash For Votes” Charge

The timing of the transfer, just weeks before elections, has intensified the allegations that the payout functions less as welfare continuity and more as a targeted electoral intervention aimed at women voters, a demographic the DMK has aggressively courted since coming to power.

The contradiction in political messaging is also sharp.

The very same political ecosystem that is today celebrating the ₹5,000 transfer as a governance milestone had attacked a ₹10,000 cash scheme for women announced in Bihar as “vote bribery” and an “election drama.”

If ₹10,000 in Bihar was framed as inducement, the sudden release of ₹5,000 in Tamil Nadu at the peak of election season inevitably invites the same scrutiny, particularly when the disbursal coincides with rising anti-incumbency.

The government’s welfare positioning can also be juxtaposed with its taxation record.

Over the past four years, electricity tariffs, property tax, and drinking water charges have all seen upward revisions. This has fuelled the argument that the state first extracts higher revenue from households and then redistributes a portion of it as politically branded welfare.

The “Dravidian Model,” frequently invoked by the ruling party as a governance philosophy rooted in social justice and redistribution, is now being seen through this fiscal contradiction, whether cash transfers offset or merely cosmetically cushion rising living costs.

Another factor to note is the state’s dependence on TASMAC liquor revenue. The continued expansion of state-run liquor outlets has drawn criticism for deepening household financial distress and social instability in several communities. Against this backdrop, the ₹5,000 transfer is seen as compensatory politics, a cash buffer that does little to address the structural fallout of liquor-driven revenue mobilisation.

Stalin claims that the Union government attempted to block funds. But this is an oft-repeated political strategy of the DMK to invoking the Centre as an administrative obstacle while deflecting scrutiny from state-level fiscal management and governance performance.

With elections approaching, the ₹5,000 transfer has moved beyond welfare administration into campaign symbolism. For the DMK, it reinforces a women-centric welfare plank that proved electorally beneficial in the past. But in reality, it only seems like a last-mile voter cash outreach – a direct financial appeal deployed to soften anti-incumbency anger and consolidate support before ballots are cast.

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DMK Students’ Wing Functionary Arrested In Kerala 55-Sovereign Gold Theft Case

DMK Students’ Wing Functionary Arrested In Kerala 55-Sovereign Gold Theft Case

A DMK Students’ Wing functionary from Tamil Nadu has been arrested by Kerala Police in connection with a gold theft case involving 55 sovereigns of jewellery.

According to police sources, the theft took place at the residence of a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) in Pandalam, Kerala. Following an investigation into the burglary, Kerala Police identified and arrested Ramesh, a native of Thirukurungudi in Tirunelveli district.

Ramesh is reported to be serving as the DMK Students’ Wing Town Panchayat Secretary of the Thirukurungudi Town Panchayat area.

Investigators said the accused had allegedly travelled to Kerala and was involved in the theft of approximately 55 sovereigns of gold jewellery from the NRI’s house. Further inquiries are underway to establish the sequence of events and identify any possible accomplices linked to the case.

Sources also indicated that Ramesh had previously worked in close proximity to local party functionaries in Tirunelveli district.

The arrest has drawn political attention in Tamil Nadu after state BJP president K Annamalai shared details of the case on his X handle, highlighting the Kerala Police action and referring to the accused’s political affiliation.

He wrote, “Ramesh, the DMK Students’ Wing Secretary of Tirukurungudi Town Panchayat area in Tirunelveli district, has been arrested by Kerala Police in connection with a case involving the theft of 55 sovereigns of gold jewellery from the house of a Non-Resident Indian in the Pandalam area of Kerala.

Ramesh is also known to have served as an assistant to Tirunelveli East DMK District Secretary Graham Bell and is said to be a person close to Tirunelveli district’s in-charge minister, KN Nehru.

Allegations have been raised that DMK members, not content with “looting Tamil Nadu,” have now begun carrying out thefts in the neighbouring state of Kerala as well. It remains to be seen, through the ongoing investigation by Kerala Police, in how many more states Ramesh and other DMK functionaries may have “established the Dravidian model.”

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‘Cow Dung Has Healing Properties, Gomutra Is Purest Medicine, Let Me Eat Cow Dung’: ‘Comedian’ Alex Stein Makes Hinduphobic Speech In Public Forum

‘Cow Dung Has Healing Properties, Gomutra Is Purest Medicine, Let Me Eat Cow Dung’: 'Comedian Alex Stein Makes Hinduphobic Speech In Public Forum

The Western YouTuber/influencer ecosystem has realised that the Indian audience are their biggest audience. Whether they spew hate or shower praise on India, the reactions are equally extreme – and the end result is engagement either way. With monetisation driving content incentives, it is easier to spread hate, indulge in Hinduphobia, and cash in on the criticism from Indians.

In that category, after Tyler Oliveira who vlogged about the cowdung festival in India generating several hate responses to Indian rituals, we have ‘comedian’ Alex Stein.

Alex Stein is a conservative YouTuber who delivered a speech at a Plano City Council meeting where he openly mocked Hindu religious beliefs during a public address. This prompted several Indian-American attendees to walk out in protest.

The incident occurred during a council session where residents are typically allowed to raise civic concerns. Instead, Stein used the public forum to stage a performance that many present described as ridiculing Hindu traditions and cultural practices.

Appearing before the council dressed in a yellow kurta, black shorts, slippers and a red tilak, Stein introduced himself in a caricatured accent as a “young Indian boy” from the “holy land of India far, far away.”

He then launched into remarks targeting Hindu reverence for cows, saying: “Cow is divine mother… her urine, gomutra, is purest medicine… and her dung, gobar, is holy gold.”

Continuing in the same tone, Stein said, “I like to drink and eat special stuff… I like the cow dung, it has healing properties.”

He framed the speech as a complaint to the council, claiming he was being “bullied” for his practices and asking whether authorities could stop him from “eating cow dung.”

Here is the transcript of the clipping he shared on his social media. He says, “Hello, honorable mayor of City Council. Good evening. My current situation is very, very bad. I am being bullied by the Muslim Brotherhood because I like to drink and eat special stuff that in your culture is not very respected, but in my culture, it has lots of healing properties. I want to say, I love Donald Trump for appointing Kash Patel as FBI director. He has beautiful, beautiful country music sensation as his future bride, and I hope one day to have an authentic Indian marriage and go to their ceremony. But I’m not here for that. I’m all the way from the holy land of India, very, very far away.”

He continues, “And as you may not know, or you may know, I worship cows. But cow is not no ordinary animal. No, no, no, cow is divine mother. Her milk is amrit, nectar from heaven. Her urine, gomutra, is purest medicine straight from the gods. Her dung, gobar, is holy gold, blessing for health and prosperity. But in this beautiful city of Plano, my HOA is behaving like total narcs, like big old demons, and now even worse, the Muslim Brotherhood in my neighborhood also bullying me non-stop. They come into my house knocking on my door, shouting at me, “Oh, stop drinking cow pee, stop, stop eating cow poop.” They’re saying my cow Lakshmi is haram. My holy practices is dirty, they think is dirty, me feed, file the complaints saying they will call the police on me, or more HOA will fine me and make my life hell. I’m asking you, please, mayor of city of Plano, is this not the land of free? Is this not the land of freedom of religion? Tyler Olivera made a video trying to come after my culture. I like the cow dung. I like it for the health benefits. I know that you are not used to it, you big Texans, you eat steak and that’s disgusting, and I hope that you will burn and burn forever for your crimes against this sweet cow. So, I ask you, can HOA come into my house and tell me not to eat cow dung? I don’t understand. Please, mayor, I beg you, let me eat the cow dung, it has healing properties, and I love you Kash Patel. He’s protecting the Epstein victims, but you know, so what? At least we got an Indian in there, right? Thank you, have a good evening and goodbye.

The performance drew visible discomfort inside the chamber, with attendees noting that the remarks trivialised and caricatured religious beliefs under the guise of satire.

As the speech progressed, several Indian-American residents stood up and exited the chamber mid-address in protest.

Those who remained later described the remarks as offensive and deliberately provocative, arguing that the council forum had been misused to demean a religious community rather than discuss civic grievances.

Clips from the meeting soon circulated widely on social media, amplifying debate around the speech and its intent.

Stein also veered into US national politics during his address, expressing support for former President Donald Trump and referring to the appointment of Kash Patel as FBI Director.

He made additional remarks about Patel’s personal life, saying he hoped to attend an “authentic Indian marriage,” comments that some viewers said reduced Indian identity to stereotypes.

The episode has renewed concern among sections of the Indian-American community about Hinduphobia in the form of cultural mockery and it entering public civic spaces.

Community members argued that while satire and free speech are protected, using official public platforms to caricature religious practices crosses into deliberate humiliation.

Civil rights advocates also criticised the use of a municipal forum for performative ridicule, stating that public grievance mechanisms should not be converted into stages for cultural mockery.

Source: MoneyControl

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Joseph Vijay’s TVK Supporter Hijacks Palani Temple Audio System, Plays TVK & Vijay Film Songs; Devotees Furious

TVK Supporter Hijacks Palani Temple PA System, Plays TVK & Vijay Film Songs; Devotees Furious

A controversy has erupted at the Palani Hill Temple after an unauthorised film song associated with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was allegedly played through the temple’s public announcement system, triggering outrage among devotees.

According to reports, the incident took place at the Palani Murugan Temple, one of the Arupadai Veedu (six sacred abodes of Lord Murugan), where the loudspeaker system is reserved exclusively for official temple announcements.

The public address system installed along the steps pathway is typically used by temple authorities and security personnel to broadcast important information to pilgrims. These include alerts about missing persons, lost belongings, and guidance for devotees visiting the hill shrine, especially during peak festival days.

However, a video that has since gone viral on social media shows a youth playing a film song featuring actor Vijay through the announcement system, creating shock among devotees present at the temple.

The development is considered particularly sensitive given the sanctity of the temple and the scale of pilgrim footfall during auspicious occasions such as Thaipusam, when lakhs of devotees gather and rely on the announcement system for official instructions and safety communication.

Preliminary inquiries by temple authorities revealed that the youth had allegedly connected his mobile phone to the loudspeaker setup and played the song without authorisation.

Devotees have expressed anger over the incident, stating that broadcasting cinema songs inside a sacred temple space violates established traditions and undermines the spiritual atmosphere of the shrine.

Temple officials have confirmed that an inquiry is underway into the breach. Authorities also stated that additional security measures would be implemented to prevent unauthorised access to the announcement system and to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.

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Sabarimala Scam Shock: Daily-Wage Workers Scammed Pilgrims With ‘Fast-Track Rituals’, ₹50 Lakh Trail Surfaces

Exploitation Of Sabarimala Pilgrims Can't Be Permitted: Kerala HC

Fresh allegations have emerged in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case, with reports suggesting that some daily-wage workers may have cheated pilgrims and amassed large sums of money during the last Mandala–Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

According to reports, certain daily-wage workers are suspected of targeting pilgrims arriving in groups. Temporary staff identity cards were allegedly misused to gain the trust of devotees and approach them under the pretext of facilitating rituals and temple services.

Investigators suspect that some workers offered quicker access to ghee abhishekam without standing in queues, charging devotees amounts of up to ₹500. Money was also allegedly collected from pilgrims on the promise of facilitating faster darshan.

In addition, devotees were reportedly pressured to deposit cash into the rice collection vessel tied to the irumudikettu. Collections were also allegedly made in the name of conducting ‘charadu pooja’.

Preliminary findings indicate that the suspected collections by the workers may total around ₹50 lakh. It is alleged that funds were transferred to relatives through the post office and two banks located in Sannidhanam during the Mandala–Makaravilakku season.

Multiple remittances, often up to ₹6,000 at a time, were reportedly sent on different days between 17 November and 31 December 2025.

The alleged cheating came to light after confidential information reached Sabarimala Executive Officer O.G. Biju. A vigilance inquiry by the Devaswom Board followed, and the findings were submitted to the Kerala High Court by Sabarimala Special Commissioner R. Jayakrishnan.

Reports suggest that around 50 individuals may have collected at least ₹1 lakh each, pushing the suspected total close to ₹50 lakh.

Postal department staff are said to have alerted temple authorities after noticing currency notes smeared with turmeric, sacred ash, and vermilion being sent through money orders.

Approximately ₹14.08 lakh was allegedly transferred through money orders from the Sannidhanam post office alone. Authorities suspect that some daily-wage workers were responsible for sending these remittances.

Officials believe the total amount involved could rise further once complete bank transaction details are examined. Information relating to individuals who sent amounts exceeding ₹25,000 has already been submitted before the Kerala High Court.

Among those identified in transaction records are:

  • R. Pradeep, Adoor – ₹1,38,000
  • Bijukumar, Vithura – ₹1,07,45
  • R. Ajimon, Kollam – ₹47,400
  • Arun Krishnan, Kollam – ₹27,910

Statements from the individuals linked to the transactions are expected to be recorded as part of the ongoing probe.

Devaswom vigilance officials also suspect that similar practices may have taken place during earlier pilgrimage seasons. Some of the individuals identified in the present inquiry were reportedly engaged in temple-related work during monthly pooja periods as well.

Investigations into the alleged cheating and financial irregularities are continuing.

Source: Mathrubhumi English

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Radical Leftist & DMK Stooge Prakash Raj Who Said Nange Hindi Baralla, Hogappa (I Don’t Know Hindi, Go Away) To Act In Hindi Version Of Drishyam 3

Radical Leftist & DMK Stooge Prakash Raj On Odd Days: Nange Hindi Baralla; On Even Days - Act In Hindi Movies

Radical leftist Prakash Raj, often seen playing up to the Dravidianist gallery, is now facing sharp scrutiny after announcing his role in the Hindi film franchise Drishyam 3, with the development being called out as starkly hypocritical given his past public posturing.

On 10 February 2026, Raj took to X to share an update about his latest project, writing: “Started shooting for this engaging franchise #Drishyam3 in hindi. With a wonderful team and a scintillating role to play. Im sure you will love it. ❤️❤️❤️ (and yes im not replacing anyone..).”

The announcement immediately reignited debate around his earlier activism, particularly his vocal participation in anti-Hindi campaigns that framed the language as culturally and politically oppressive in southern states.

Raj had previously amplified slogans such as “Nange Hindi Baralla, Hogappa” (“I don’t know Hindi, go away”) messaging that ran parallel to the Dravidianist slogan “Hindi Theriyathu Poda.” These campaigns were positioned not merely as linguistic assertion but as political resistance to what was portrayed as Hindi “imposition.”

 

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In 2020, during Hindi Diwas, Raj joined other actors in publicly displaying anti-Hindi slogans on T-shirts, including “Hindi Gothilla” (“I don’t know Hindi”) – visuals that were widely circulated as symbolic protest.

That campaign ecosystem drew ideological energy from similar movements in Tamil Nadu, including those associated with DMK figures such as Kanimozhi, where slogans like “I am Indian, I don’t speak Hindi” were popularised as identity markers.

Raj himself had argued against linguistic uniformity through cultural analogies, invoking coastal cuisine diversity to suggest that imposing one language across India was akin to forcing the same masala into every regional dish.

Yet the optics of the present moment are difficult to ignore.

The same actor who built political capital opposing Hindi’s cultural footprint is now headlining a major Hindi commercial franchise – a space he once rhetorically positioned as emblematic of linguistic dominance.

The contrast has sharpened the charge that his activism was never about linguistic principle but political signalling.

Opposing Hindi in governance, education, and administration while profiting from Hindi cinema reflects selective outrage – resistance when it serves ideological theatre, participation when it serves career advancement. Acting in Drishyam 3 is not multilingual work, which is routine in Indian cinema, but the dissonance between rhetoric and conduct.

Prakash Raj’s film announcement has left people questioning whether anti-Hindi posturing in Dravidianist politics is rooted in genuine linguistic federalism or deployed as a political tool that quietly dissolves when market economics enter the frame.

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‘Next DMK Scam’: BJP TN Chief Nainar Nagenthran Questions Stalin Govt Over ₹2,000 Cr Pre-Budget Allocation To State Highways Dept

‘Next DMK Scam’: BJP TN Chief Nainar Nagenthran Questions Stalin Govt Over ₹2,000 Cr Pre-Budget Allocation To State Highways Dept

Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthran levelled corruption allegations against the DMK government, claiming that funds had been pre-allocated to the State Highways Department even before the presentation of the state budget.

In a statement on his X handle, Nagenthran said it was “shocking” that the DMK government had issued a Government Order allocating ₹2,000 crore to the State Highways Department for the 2026-27 financial year despite the budget for the period not yet being tabled.

He further alleged that the Chennai Corporation administration had been issuing an average of 40 tenders per day and was moving in haste to complete works worth around ₹4,000 crore, raising suspicions about the timing and urgency of the projects.

Pointing out procedural concerns, the BJP leader said government tenders typically take several months to be processed, but in this instance, the Government Order for Highways Department tenders had allegedly been issued within just three days. He also claimed that the Greater Chennai Corporation had floated 248 tenders in February alone and questioned how such a volume had been processed in such a short time.

Nagenthran asked whether these moves were part of a strategy by the DMK government to collect commissions ahead of elections and called on Chief Minister MK Stalin to provide an explanation.

He further alleged that the government had been misusing taxpayers’ money over the past four-and-a-half years and accused it of attempting to extract commissions in the remaining months before elections. He asserted that such efforts would not succeed and said that the “truth would come out,” adding that people of Tamil Nadu would bring an end to what he described as a regime of commissions.

Source: Dinamalar

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DMK-Congress Rift Widens: ‘How Is Seeking Share In Governance A Conspiracy?’, Asks Congress MP Manickam Tagore As Stalin Declines Power Sharing

manickam tagore dmk congress

The war of words between DMK and the Congress does not seem abate.

After DMK chief and TN CM Stalin ruled out sharing of power with the Congress in the upcoming election related discussions, Manickam Tagore posted on his X handle that the people would decide whether Tamil Nadu should have a coalition government or a single-party government, adding that the failure to implement the people’s verdict in 2006 was a mistake committed by the Tamil Nadu Congress.

In his words, he wrote, “The people will decide. Whether it will be a coalition government? Or Whether it will be a one-party government. It is our @INCTamilNadu mistake not to implement the people’s verdict in 2006.”

His remarks come at a time when Congress leaders have been increasingly vocal about seeking a share in governance within the DMK-led alliance.

Subsequently, on 12 February 2026, he made another X post stating, “If we ask for a share in governance in an alliance, how can that be called a conspiracy?” 

His remarks came a day after Stalin and several other DMK members have been rubbishing Congress’ demand for share in power.

The issue of power-sharing has been gaining traction in recent months, with several Congress functionaries reportedly pressing for a greater role in governance within alliance arrangements. With alliance negotiations underway ahead of elections, the demand has triggered political discussion.

 

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TVK District Secretary B’Day Bash Triggers Traffic Chaos In Vandavasi

TVK District Secretary B'Day Bash Triggers Traffic Chaos In Vandavasi

Celebrations marking the birthday of a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) district functionary triggered commotion and traffic disruption in Vandavasi in Tiruvannamalai district, after party cadres allegedly engaged in public nuisance during the event.

Udhayakumar, who serves as the East Tiruvannamalai District Secretary of TVK, celebrated his birthday in Vandavasi, drawing a large turnout of party workers. A significant number of cadres gathered near the Vandavasi bridge on motorcycles as part of the celebrations.

During the event, a crane was used to place a giant garland on Udhayakumar. Cadres were also seen honking motorcycle horns loudly, leading to disturbance in the locality and inconvenience to the public.

Police personnel who arrived at the spot instructed the gathering to clear vehicles that were causing obstruction. This reportedly led to a verbal altercation between some party workers and the police.

Cadres also burst firecrackers along the route as they rode through the town. In visuals that surfaced from the celebrations, Udhayakumar was seen standing atop a car, holding firecrackers in his hand and waving them.

He even posted the video on his Instagram handle.

 

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A post shared by Smiley Raja (@smiley_tvk_raja__)

The celebrations led to heavy traffic congestion in several parts of Vandavasi, causing inconvenience to motorists and local residents.

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Dravidian Model Tamil Nadu: Minor Seen Staggering in Intoxicated State In Sivaganga’s Singampunari

Minor Seen Staggering in Intoxicated State In Sivaganga’s Singampunari

A 13-year-old boy was found in an intoxicated condition in Singampunari in Sivaganga district, triggering shock among local residents.

According to reports, the incident occurred in the Singampunari area, where more than ten TASMAC liquor outlets are said to be operating. The minor was seen staggering on the road in a drunken state, unable to keep his eyes open, drawing the attention of passersby.

Police who arrived at the spot questioned the boy about his condition. During the interaction, the minor reportedly broke down and cried while still intoxicated, stating that he did not have parents.

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