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I.N.D.I. Ally DMK Gives MP Ticket To Dayanidhi Maran Who Called ‘North Indians’ As ‘Toilet Cleaners’ And DMK MP A. Raja Who Made Anti-Hindu And Anti-India Remarks

By
The Commune
-

On 20 March 2024, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK) revealed its first list of candidates contesting for various constituencies in Tamil Nadu along with electoral manifesto for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The announcement took place at the party’s headquarters, Arivalayam, in Chennai, with the party president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin, presiding over the event. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections for Tamil Nadu are slated for 19 April 2024.

  1. Kalanidhi Veerasami – North Chennai
  2. Tamilachi Thangapandian – South Chennai
  3. Dayanidhi Maran – Central Chennai
  4. T R Balu – Sriperumbatur
  5. Kanimozhi – Thoothukudi
  6. S Jagathrachahan –  Arakonam
  7. Kadhir Anand – Vellore
  8. C N Annadurai – Thiruvanamalai
  9. Taranivedan – Aarani
  10. T M Selva ganapathi – Selam
  11. K E Prakash- Erode
  12. A Raja – Niligiri
  13. Arun Nehru – Perambalur
  14. Murasoli – Tanjavur
  15. Thanga Tamil Selvam – Theni
  16. Rani Sreekumar – Thenkasi
  17. A Mani – Dharmapuri
  18. Ganapathi P Rajkumar – Coimbatore
  19. K Selvam – Kanchipuram
  20. D Malayarasan – Kallakurichi
  21. K Ishwarasamy – Pollachi

The proposed list of contestants raised eyebrows as DMK has given an LS ticket once again to the likes of Dayanidhi Maran and A Raja. Maran had previously made derogatory remarks about North Indians, labeling them as ‘toilet cleaners’, and also made casteist comments against Scheduled Castes. Nilgiris DMK MP A Raja is known for his controversial anti-Hindu and anti-India statements. Despite the DMK’s 2024 Election Manifesto stating that it would implement the 33% reservations for women in both education and employment sectors, it was surprising that this commitment was not reflected in the allocation of MP tickets, with only a mere 15% being reserved for women candidates.

Dayanidhi Maran

Dayanidhi Maran, a prominent figure within the DMK family, is the son of former Union Minister Murasoli Maran and the grandnephew of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. He is also the founder and chairman of the Sun Group. Concerning his candidacy for the MP ticket in 2024, aside from the familial connections within the nepotistic DMK, two notable incidents are to be noted. First instance, he made disparaging remarks about Hindi speakers, implying that they are only fit for menial jobs such as construction work and toilet cleaning. In another instance, he made casteist remarks by expressing a sense of entitlement akin to a ruling class, stating, “They treated us like third-class people. What are we? Depressed class people?” Additionally, he also made derogatory comments about the profession of barbers.

Remarks On Hindi Speakers

Dayanidhi Maran was seen making derogatory remarks about Hindi speakers on DMK stage. He implied that those who learn Hindi end up as construction workers or toilet cleaners in Tamil Nadu, contrasting them with Tamilians who hold high-level positions in the IT sector without knowing Hindi. He said, “We asked you to study Tamil and English. You studied. Look at Sundar Pichai, he is now the CEO of Google. He would have been a construction worker if he had studied Hindi. Our children hold high-level positions in IT firms and earn a good living. Look at those who studied Hindi. They work as construction workers and clean toilets.”

In another instance, he referred to north Indians and Hindi speakers as ‘idiots’ who would vote for the BJP.

Maran’s comments sparked widespread condemnation, including from Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who criticized the disparaging remarks and stressed the importance of respecting people from different parts of the country. Former Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also challenged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over Maran’s statement, calling for an end to disrespect towards Bihar’s people.

Feudal Mindset

When DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran along with TR Baalu,  Tamizhachi Thangapandian and Kalanidhi Veerasamy, met with the Chief Secretary to submit petitions gathered under the DMK’s campaign “Ondrinaivom Vaa.” Immediately there were commotions as the MPs claimed that the Chief Secretary did not receive them properly and had insulted them.

For that Dayanidhi Maran expressed their dissatisfaction, stating, “They treated us like third-class people. What are we? Depressed class people?” This remark drew strong criticism from political parties, citizens, and activists in Tamil Nadu. Consequently, prompted the National Commission for Scheduled Caste to take Suo-Moto Cognizance notice of Dayanidhi Maran’s statement.

On another instance  when he was participating at an event distributing relief measures for people affected in Michuang cyclone in his constituency, one of reporters asked him “Old videos of important DMK leaders are being trended. Even one of your videos is trending” to which the DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran replied “There is a saying –  Jobless barbers catch hold of cats to shave its furs. Likewise they want to create some ruckus.”

A Raja

Andimuthu Raja, a member of Parliament representing the DMK and serving as the deputy general secretary for the party, gained notoriety in the 2G spectrum scandal where he was a co-accused alongside two other DMK members, Dayanidhi Maran and Kanimozhi. It was surprising to witness Raja being awarded an MP ticket considering his involvement in corruption case audio tapes was released, as well as his history of making inflammatory remarks against Hinduism and promoting separatist and anti-India sentiments.

Hinduphobic Remarks

Recently during a public gathering on 3 March 2024, at Coimbatore A Raja, delivered a speech characterized by abusive language and controversial statements targeted at Hindu beliefs. A Raja stated “If this is your Jai Sri Ram, if this is your Bharat Mata Ki Jai, we will never accept that Jai Sri Ram and Bharat Mata. Tamil Nadu won’t accept. You go and tell, we’re enemies of Ram.“ Later, he recounted the tale Kamba Ramayana and affirmed that “I don’t have faith on Ramayana, and Lord Ram“.

During another occasion in September 2022, while addressing a gathering convened to honor the six-decade association of Dravida Kazhagam head K. Veeramani with Viduthalai, A. Raja remarked, “You’re a Shudra till you remain a Hindu. You’re a son of the prostitute till you remain a Shudra. You’re a Panchaman (Dalit) till you remain a Hindu. You’re an untouchable till you remain a Hindu. How many of you wish to stay as children of prostitutes? How many of you wish to remain untouchable? Only if we’re vocal about these questions, it will become elemental in breaking Santhana (Sanatana Dharma).”

https://twitter.com/Fallssuruli1/status/1568999925408739328

On September 2023 speaking at a protest organized by the rabid anti-Hindu outfit Dravidar Kazhagam against the Centre’s Viswakarma Scheme. A Raja spoke “I am oddly surprised that Udhayanidhi Stalin had only spoken about it only softly saying (Sanatana Dharma) has to be eradicated like malaria and dengue. Malaria and dengue doesn’t have social stigma. The society won’t look at them disgustingly. If we have to call it something disgusting, there was leprosy, there is HIV today. For us, just like leprosy and HIV, we’ve to see it (Sanathana Dharma) as a social stigma.” supporting Udhayanidhi stalin calling Hindu Dharma as Dengue and Malaria it should be eradicated.

During the commemoration and film premiere event for Aanimuthu, affiliated with the Periyar Organization, DMK’s A Raja remarked, “At that point, when I used to step out, my mother would ask me to smear Muruga’s Vibuthi and I would smear it. Then I listened to Periyar’s final speech and continued reading all of his books. After that, I threw away the Vibuthi. Not only that, I also placed a elephant cracker below your Ganesha idol and it exploded. That was a time in my life. The reason behind this change in me is Periyar’s final speech.”

Separatist And Anti-India Remarks

During a gathering in Coimbatore on 3 February 2024, DMK MP A Raja incited separatist sentiments as “India is not a nation. Understand this well. India is never a nation. One nation means one language, one tradition and one culture. Then only it is one nation. India is not a nation but a subcontinent. What’s the reason? Here, Tamil is one nation and one country. Malayalam is one language, one nation and one country. Oriya is a nation, a language and a country. All these nations make up India. So, India is not country it is a subcontinent.”

During DMK Youth Wing Conference on January 2024, A Raja spoke India is an artificially constructed nation against the Britishers, “Periyar did not accept this (Indian) nationalism. He said that Indian nationalism was a fiction. He called the Indian flag as a loincloth. He burnt the national flag. He burnt the portraits of Gandhi. The reason for that was Tamil nationalism and Tamilians should survive.”

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Should Highway Tolls Be Abolished?

By
G Saimukundhan
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Image Source: DTNext

With the election season around, we have started seeing lots of “Election Promises” floating around, which in the guise of impressing upon voters of the policy changes being planned by the contesting political parties, essentially seek to build and create a false hope at best, and exposes the daftness of the political leaders. This article seeks to bust certain myths about one such electoral promise, which has been announced by the DMK, the ruling Government in Tamil Nadu, which has, in the past, made all such ideas, without an iota of economic sensibility. 

And this, coming from a party that set up a council of eminent economists across the world, if you can digest that “eminent tag” to a certain ex-RBI Governor and engaging a certain author who “demonstrated that the current dispensation” as among the most corrupt and biggest beneficiary of sand mafia, as a member/chairperson of State Planning Commission. With such a profile, it was only expected that the ruling dispensation would come out with proposals that are not just out of the world, but out of any reasonable logic. They have proposed that they will abolish the system of collection “Toll” (or the more proper nomenclature being “User Fee”) in all the National Highways in the State of Tamil Nadu.

Not just DMK, we have had multiple politicians set out on a war against the User Fee, and we even had one of DMK’s alliance partners, break the User Fee Plaza, after having asked to pay the toll charges. Why this anger against toll? Is it even justified? Ignoring the political noise around the levy and collection of tolls, let’s evaluate from a socio-economic standpoint and understand its necessity, and the alternative, and take a meaningful call on whether we need tolls or not.

To give a context, we need to be aware of and understand two sets of information – one, a fact about income tax rates; and two, a constant complaint about an imaginary misallocation of taxes being collected. Let’s discuss the latter point first.

A common refrain has been “Why my taxes should be used for constructing a bridge or a road in UP?”. This comes from the basic (mis)understanding (intentionally, I believe) that there is a direct nexus between the taxes contributed by, say the residents of Tamil Nadu, and its utilisation, say in the State of Uttar Pradesh. To support their argument, they also say that what’s the use of that road, which I will never use. 

Fair point. We’ll revisit this after we get to know the first point.

Let’s now understand the facts about income tax rates. The total value of collections is not a fair basis for comparison of tax rates across longer time periods, and to this limited extent, I am using only the tax rates, as summarised in the table below: 

A casual reader can comprehend that the tax rates in India have gone down significantly over the past 3 decades. In fact, it has gone down by more than 1/3rd of the rate. If we stretch it even further to the 1980s, the reduction in tax rates is even more dramatic! I’ll let the readers google and get to be shocked at the tax rates in those periods. And I am ignoring the long periods of income tax exemptions for various sectors (infrastructure/hospitals/information technology exporters etc.) over this period.

This reduction in tax rates has been counterintuitive. Conventional wisdom suggests that a reduction in tax rate would mean a reduction in tax collection. However, it resulted in the exact opposite. The tax collection started growing at a pace quicker than the economy itself. The reasons are many, but let’s not digress.

In substance, today, the common man has been paying less proportion of his income as taxes as against what he would have been paying three decades back. But, he has also seen much better general infrastructure around him. From my personal experience, a journey from Trichy to Kumbakonam of around 100 km by road used to take more than 3 hours in the 1990s. Today people clock that distance in less than 2 hours. Thanks to much-improved roads, more number of bridges and roundabouts. This one hour may look like nothing, but once you multiply this by the number of people whose time on the road has gone down, you are looking at centuries of man-hours saved for productive utilisation.

And as a person using those roads, with a much lower tax-to-income ratio at a personal level, shouldn’t I be paying for the tolls? The answer is an absolute yes. 

Let’s approach this from another side. Today, the roads are essentially funded/financed by the person who actually uses them, and not necessarily by the category who goes by the description “taxpayer”. The cost of constructing the highways is entirely on the company building those roads, and their compensation is the user fee that you and I pay for it. What this means is that I am paying for the roads that I use (by way of tolls), and I am not paying for the roads that I don’t use (either as a toll or as an income tax). This represents a shift in the fundamentals of tax policy! The change in economic approach to taxing the actual user, as against using a common pool to fund the roads, is not just sensible, but patently fair.

Now, assume for a moment, you don’t have to pay tolls, and the Government waives them all, how do you think you’d be getting good roads and essential public infrastructure? Using Government spending, obviously. And how do you think the Government will fund such public infrastructure? Either by borrowing (in true DMK Style) or by raising taxes (in true Congress Style). Either way, you lose. But you do win the opportunity to ask “that” question again – Why should my taxes be used for the development of some other State? 

And I am not even discussing the adverse economic impact on your day-to-day life. That’s for another day.

G Saimukundhan is a Chartered Accountant.

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DMK Releases Manifesto With Items That Are Not Even In State Govt Control

By
The Commune
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The Lok Sabha election dates for Tamil Nadu have been announced for 19 April 2024. The DMK has finalized its alliance and unveiled its candidates across different constituencies along with its electoral manifesto.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) unveiled its election manifesto on 20 March 2024, at the party headquarters, Arivalayam, in Chennai, by the party’s president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin. The Election Manifesto Committee, led by MP Kanimozhi, presented the manifesto to MK Stalin, who addressed the gathering at the event.

What caught attention in the current election manifesto was the significant commitments made by the state party, which involve functions delegated to the central government according to Schedule Seven of the Indian Constitution. It’s important to note that a state party cannot alter these functions without constitutional amendments being passed in Parliament.

Key points from the DMK’s manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections:

  1. The constitution will be amended so that the states get real autonomy.
  2. Until the office of the Governor is abolished, the appointment of a State Governor should be made in consultation with the Chief Minister of the State.
  3. Amendment of Article 361, which grants immunity from criminal proceedings to Governors.
  4. Opposing the implementation of the National Education Policy and NEET in Tamil Nadu.
  5. Rejecting the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and Uniform Civil Code.
  6. Sri Lankan Tamils who have returned to India will be granted Indian citizenship.
  7. A division of the Supreme Court will be established in Chennai.
  8. Puducherry is slated to be elevated to the status of a state.
  9. One country one election scheme will be abandoned

The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution distinctly delineates the roles and responsibilities between the state and central governments. Despite being a federal structure with unitary characteristics, the Constitution grants substantial authority to the central government to ensure uniform administration across the nation. This also prevents states from making unreasonable promises, such as distributing freebies, solely for electoral gains, thus safeguarding national integrity.

DMK opposes the national education policy solely in their election manifesto but quietly entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education for PM-SHRI schemes, which advocates for the implementation of the national education policy in all schools, it raises another point of contention. Furthermore, Article 11 of the Constitution explicitly states that Parliament has the authority to regulate citizenship rights through legislation, including provisions regarding the acquisition and termination of citizenship, as well as other citizenship-related matters. However, the DMK, in its manifesto, claims to abolish these provisions and also promises to grant citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamils. Interestingly, previously, Congress MP P. Chidambaram, an ally of the DMK, refrained from considering granting citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamils when he served as the Home Minister in the central government.

Above all, while reading out the manifesto by DMK leader MK Stalin, a slip of the tongue occurred when he confirmed the party’s intention to implement a Uniform Civil Code, sparking ridicule on social media platforms.

He was corrected by his party members later though.

Other declarations were made without taking into account their financial implications, which could impact the government’s ability to generate revenue and potentially strain the treasury. Ultimately, it will be the citizens who bear the brunt of these decisions.

  1. Women across India will receive a monthly stipend of ₹1000.
  2. Toll booths on national highways will be removed.
  3. Prices for LPG will be set at ₹500, while petrol will be priced at ₹75 and diesel at ₹65 per unit.
  4. The National Rural Employment Scheme will extend its working days to 150, with wages raised to ₹400.
  5. A minimum support price for farmers’ produce will be established.
  6. Measures will be implemented to waive students’ education loans, and interest-free education loans up to ₹4 lakh will be provided to students.

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No, Karunanidhi Did Not Hold 1970 World Tamil Conference In Paris, It Was Held By A Christian Pastor

By
The Commune
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi stirred the Tamil language pride once again. Speaking to the public in Salem on 19 March 2024, he said that he was appalled at the fact that a language as old as Tamil did not get its due. He shared a video on his official X handle with the caption, “Tamil language is India’s pride but for many decades, no effort was made to popularise it globally. I am determined to change this.”

Immediately, Dravidianists and supporters of the DMK shared posts and videos saying Annadurai conducted the 2nd World Tamil Conference in Madras in 1968.

They also claimed Karunanidhi conducted the 3rd World Tamil Conference in France in 1970.

Netizens questioned the Dravidianists if organising a parade was the only contribution Dravidianists made for Tamil in 55 years. They questioned why no effort had been put into translating medical, engineering, and scientific literature into Tamil, like in German, Korean, Japanese, and the rest of the world.

The reality of the 3rd World Tamil Conference came to fore as this discussion ensued, the 1970 conference was actually organised by Reverend Xavier S. Thani Nayagam. The driving factor of the organiser in his recorded works was Xavier S. Thani Nayagam who was praised as follows:

“He is now identified with a new movement in India, which represents the apostolate of thought. As founder and Director of the Tamil Literature Society of India and Ceylon, in 1949 and 1950 he undertook a lecture tour of the United States. With his knowledge of East and West, his extensive travels, and his scholarship, his movement is bound to have a great future and affect methods of evangelisation in the Orient, and open new vistas of thought to all those interested in World Christianity.” 

Xavier Stanislaus Thaninayagam, born in British Ceylon, dedicated his life to promoting Tamil language and literature. Despite initially focusing on European languages, he mastered Tamil while teaching in Tirunelveli. His global tour to advocate Tamil took him to various countries, where he collected medieval Tamil manuscripts and early printed books. He founded the journal Tamil Studies and served as a university dean, notably at the University of Malaya. Thaninayagam co-founded the International Association for Tamil Research and organized the inaugural World Tamil Conference. His contributions were recognized posthumously with an honorary doctorate from the University of Jaffna.

Netizens believed that it was the BJP and Narendra Modi who celebrate the Tamil language while the DMK wants to evangelise it. 

It is noteworthy that such World Tamil conferences have been held at an irregular pace at various parts of the world and the 1st, 3rd, 4th conferences were organised by Thani Nayagam as mentioned above. In this table, you can check the huge gaps between two conferences in the list. Also notable that neither former CM Karunanidhi nor present CM Stalin have taken an effort to organise such a conference in recent times.

 

Image Source: Wikipedia

For his credit, Karunanidhi did conduct a World Classical Tamil Conference in 2010. This was organised by the Government of Tamil Nadu under Karunanidhi. But it faced criticism for lacking approval from the International Association for Tamil Research. While some questioned the academic rigour of the event, it garnered widespread appreciation for its portrayal of Tamil language and culture. The conference’s theme song, “Semmozhiyana Thamizh mozhiyam,” composed by A. R. Rahman and written by Karunanidhi, incorporated popular quotes from Sangam poetry, adding cultural significance to the event.

Despite these many “world conferences”, it is a matter of wonder that most of the Tamilians in TN are unable to speak, write or read properly in Tamil. Even the Chief Minister carries a piece of paper with notes to avoid fumbling during speeches. 

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“Rameshwaram Cafe Bomber Trained In Krishnagiri,” Says BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje, Apologizes And Says That Her Comments Were Not Directed Against Tamils

By
The Commune
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Social media is abuzz with propaganda against the BJP. This time it is in “response” to comments made by Karnataka BJP MP and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who mentioned individuals trained in Tamil Nadu (Krishnagiri) coming here (Bangalore) engages in bomb planting. However, these criticisms seem to lack an understanding of the context of Karandlaje’s speech and appear to be primarily aimed at fostering an anti-BJP sentiment in Tamil Nadu.

In a viral video circulating on social media, Shobha was recorded expressing at the heat of the moment that, “People from Tamil Nadu come here, get trained there (Krishnagiri), and plant bombs here. They placed a bomb in the cafe.” This statement pertained to the explosion that occurred at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on 1 March 2024.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin, expressed his disapproval through his official X platform, “Strongly condemn Union BJP Minister@ShobhaBJP’s reckless statement. One must either be an NIA official or closely linked to the #RameshwaramCafeBlast to make such claims. Clearly, she lacks the authority for such assertions. Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of BJP. I also urge for an appropriate legal action against Shobha for causing threat to peace, harmony and national unity. From the Prime Minister to cadre, everyone in the BJP should stop engaging in this dirty divisive politics at once. ECI must take note of this hate speech and initiate stringent action immediately.”

Countering the narrative set by TN Chief Minister Stalin, Shobha Karandlaje in her official X handle elaborated on her previous statement, expressing concerns and accused MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, of empowering extremist factions within the state. “Mr. Stalin, What has become of Tamil Nadu under your rule? Your appeasement politics have emboldened radical elements to attack on Hindus & BJP workers day and night. Frequent Bomb blasts bearing the hallmarks of terror outfits like ISIS explode while you turn a blind eye. FYI, the Rameshwaram bomber was trained in Krishnagiri forests under your nose. Tamil makkal has a long history of harmonious relations with Karnataka. They have been an integral part of Karnataka’s social fabric, contributing immensely to the state. We have close cultural bonds and shared history.”

She also provided an article from The Hindu detailing the recent operations conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Tamil Nadu and Telangana, targeting the activities of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. The NIA carried out raids at 31 different locations, aiming to disrupt the radicalization and recruitment efforts of the IS. During these raids, digital devices, documents, and other evidence were confiscated, alongside a significant amount of cash. The investigation uncovered a plot to radicalize young individuals through various means such as Arabic language classes, online platforms, and social media, with connections to previous terrorist incidents. Notably, one of the locations searched was the residence of a DMK ward councillor named M. Mubrera in Coimbatore’s Kottai area, among the 22 sites targeted by the anti-terrorism agency.

Shoba later expressed regret and withdrew her remarks, clarifying that they were not aimed at innocent citizens but specifically targeted radicals, “To my Tamil brothers & sisters, I wish to clarify that my words were meant to shine light, not cast shadows. Yet I see that my remarks brought pain to some – and for that, I apologize. My remarks were solely directed towards those trained in the Krishnagiri forest, linked to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast. To anyone from Tamil Nadu effected, From the depths of my heart, I ask your forgiveness. Furthermore, I retract my previous comments.”

The BJP MP’s statement was seized upon by the ruling DMK government and its IT wing for propaganda against the BJP. This move is seen as a retaliation for previous accusations leveled against the DMK regarding drug prevalence and corruption charges in Tamil Nadu, which the DMK had been unable to counter effectively before.

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“Sachin Tendulkar Is An Iyengar, He Tried His Level Best To Make India Lose”, “Cricket Is An ‘Avaal’ Game”, Says Dravidian Ideologue Kantharaj

By
The Commune
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Brahmin hate is very often noticed among Dravidianists in Tamil Nadu, they thrive on speaking about Brahmins day in and day out. But a video that was circulating on social media platform X took this to a whole new level.

An interview clipping of Dravidian ideologue Kantharaj, a doctor with a Dravidian ideology is introduced as a political commentator in Take 1’s YouTube video on the “politics” surrounding IPL and cricket presented great misinformation which the anchor herself was agreeing to, no questions asked. 

In the video clipping, Kantharaj talks about India’s 1983 World Cup win and desperate to insert the Brahmin connection makes an erroneous statement where he says Tendulkar is an Iyengar. The transcription/translation of the video is as follows: 

“We won the World Cup for the first time. The match took place in England. Kapil Dev was the captain. Kapil Dev played really well and took us to the finals. Tendulkar gave him so much trouble. Kapil Dev won the matches as a single man. Everyone tried to bring him down, we can see it clearly. Tendulkar tried his level best to make India lose. He is an Iyengar, Kapil Dev, a non-brahmin. He (Kapil) single-handedly scored runs and bowled superbly too. You must see his bowling, he gave his life for it. He said he would not stop without winning.”

He continues to say that following this Kapil Dev was not honoured by the Modi government. He claimed Modi met Tendulkar but not Kapil Dev. The anchor keeps adding in all kinds of narratives by saying only Brahmins were given recognition. 

Let’s do some fact-checking here.

For starters, Sachin was born in 1973 and was 10 years old when India won the World Cup in England. 

Sachin is a Maharashtrian and not a Tamilian or an Iyengar – he belongs to the Saraswat Brahmin community.

Sachin made his World Cup debut in 1992. 

Netizens ridiculed the general knowledge and the memory power of an aging Kantharaj. Here are some reactions.

 

In the video, Kantharaj says none of the players in the team are from North Madras and they indulged in “rough” and “real” games like football. The anchor then claims that it is very difficult for a non-Brhamin to get into the cricket ecosystem but Natarajan managed to break into it. But also alleges that he was removed because of caste. 

Kantharaj talks about a Budhi Kunderan, a Scheduled caste player who created a record by hitting 192 runs on the first day of the test match against England in 1964. However, he was not selected for the subsequent tours. Wikipedia claims he was dropped because his wicket-keeping skills had fallen. Kantharaj creates an illusion that Kundheran never got a chance after this drop. But the truth is that:

  • Budhi Kunderan left his job in the Railways in 1965 to focus on cricket, representing Mysore and the South Zone.
  • Recalled against West Indies in 1966–67, he scored 79 runs in 92 minutes in the Bombay Test.
  • Despite sporadic appearances, he played alongside Engineer in the England tour of 1967, primarily as a batsman.
  • Noted for his aggressive batting, Kunderan’s career included memorable performances against strong opponents like the 1959–60 Australians.
  • After retiring from international cricket, he played professionally in the Lancashire League and Scotland, where he eventually settled.
  • Budhi Kunderan passed away from lung cancer at the age of 66 and was posthumously honoured with a Special Award by the BCCI in June 2018.

Kantharaj continues to say “Cricket is an “avaal” game and that is why it deteriorated over time.” Here avaal is a derogatory term used to denote Brahmins in TN. He also blames the same community for bringing match-fixing into the picture. He claims Tendulkar became a big star in Sharjah cricket matches and was fixed with Dawood Ibrahim. 

Next, the anchor lists down the names of cricketers from TN and points out that they are all from the same community. Kantharaj replies to her saying no one else played cricket, all are from Chennai and hence got selected. He also adds that the media which is controlled by Brahmins created this image for them. 

The anchor then states that despite films showing the cricket board in poor light, they have not made any changes to their behavior and attitude. To this, Kantharaj says they are a strong race and one cannot win over them easily. He adds, “They are not connected to this country, they are “vandheris” (latching on to the Aryan Invasion theory) and the country is in their hands. Even the upcoming elections are in their hands. They don’t have their own land or language but they impose their things on us. We need them for our weddings or funerals. We are unable to change.”

He concludes by saying across the country, across all cricketing boards, caste is an important factor and BCCI is no better than TNCA. 

In a 2022 interview, the same Kantharaj made genocidal comments on Tamil Brahmins. He had said “You better go to your own country. Go there. There only you (Tamil Brahmins) were thrashed by Chengiz Khan and Taimur. You came here whimpering.”

He also derogated Hindu Gods like Lord Ram and Lord Krishna and made scandalous remarks on April 1 being marked as Tamil New Year.

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DMK Ally KMDK’s Suriamoorthi Given MP Seat Under ‘Rising Sun’ Symbol, Had Called Dalits “Beggars” And Threatened To Kill Those Doing Inter-Caste Marriages, Leftist-Dravidianist Media Silent

By
The Commune
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The Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) announced S. Suriamoorthi as its candidate for the Namakkal Parliamentary Constituency on 18 March 2024, nominated by the DMK as part of the I.N.D.I. Alliance. Suriamoorthi will contest under the DMK’s ‘rising sun’ symbol. A 51-year-old native of Sivagiri in Kodumudi block, he currently resides in Namakkal. Engaged in farming and construction activities, he previously contested unsuccessfully in Assembly elections in Modakkurichi in 2001, in Vellakoil in 2006, and as the party candidate in Modakkurichi in 2016. Suriamoorthi joined KMDK in 2007 and has served as its youth wing secretary for the past seven years. 

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President welcomed his candidature saying “Mr. Suriyamurthy, who has been announced as the candidate of the Namakkal parliamentary constituency of the Kongu Makkal Desiya Katchim (KMDK), which is a member of the I.N.D.I.A alliance met at Satyamurti Bhavan and exchanged pleasantries.”

As soon as this announcement was made, an old video featuring a casteist speech by Surya Moorthi, leader of DMK ally Kongu Nadu Makkal Desiya Katchi, went viral on social media.

In a public gathering, Suriyamoorthi, a casteist person from the Gounder community who is now announced as a candidate for Namakkal by DMK alliance partner stated, “There’s talk going around that Gounders (land-owning influential backward caste in TN) are talking excessively. If those of you (Dalits), begging from ten households, can speak so freely, just think: we’re providing for ten families and have accumulated wealth to sustain ten generations. So, imagine the volume of discourse we can engage in. If you believe that marrying a Gounder girl will lead to wealth, we will eliminate you and your mother while you’re still in the womb. The youth of Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam have been actively engaged in this matter. Let me caution the Police Intelligence present here. Do not assume that Gounders are intimidated by police proceedings.”

He said, “In every village, there are approximately 10 to 15 unmarried Gounder men aged between 30 to 40. Given this scenario among Gounder men, we will not stand idly by when men from other castes take Gounder women on their bikes under the guise of love. We have assembled around 1500 young individuals from approximately 15 districts surrounding Namakkal. If anyone from other castes attempts to touch our caste women, we will eliminate them in their wombs. If any men of other caste love Gounder caste women, initially we will try to warn them. if they do not heed to it, we will finally kill them both.”

He further added, “A similar incident occurred in the vicinity of Kanchikovil. A woman from our caste fell in love with a man from another caste. Despite our warnings to the girl, she remained steadfast in her affection. However, when I threatened to take the drastic step of ending her lover’s life, she chose to abandon her love and wedded another individual from the Gounder caste. I wish to reiterate here: our youth, under the leadership of Kongu Eswaran, are prepared to confront any legal consequences. During my 21-day incarceration, I interacted with Gounder inmates. Upon pledging to secure their release, they vowed to eliminate anyone who interfered with Gounders. Police may think that we are doing terrorism. Yes, we are doing it.”

He went on to say, “You may provide free rations, clothing, and other necessities to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. However, if you enact any legislation favoring them, I will be compelled to resort to vigilantism. If you receive all the subsidies based on your caste, why does it offend you when we refer to you by your caste name? A beggar can only be called a beggar and not a Zamindar.”

He also proclaimed that if any male or female from the Gounder community was facing an issue, one must not hesitate to take a violent step. He added, “If the police think I am promoting terrorism, yes we are. Try to stop it.”

This video has been circulating widely on social media, garnering attention not only from political circles but also from non-political individuals such as social activists, writers, and others. They are urging the DMK to withdraw the candidacy of this individual, citing casteist remarks. Many have raised doubts about his ability to represent constituents of other castes if elected as a Member of Parliament.

Despite the I.N.D.I. ally DMK fielding a man who has publicly abused and threatened Dalits, news outlets like The News Minute, The Wire and other leftist media outlets who portray themselves as the champions of the oppressed have looked the other way by not even reporting on his candidature.

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Pro-Congress Cartoonist Satish Acharya Who Mocked BJP & Hindus Now Complains Of Power Cuts In “Progressive” Karnataka Under The Congress

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The Commune
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satish acharya congress

Satish Acharya, a cartoonist from Karnataka, known for his leftist and anti-Hindu/anti-India cartoons in newspapers and other media is in the news. He is always seen supporting the Congress. However, this time, Acharya was found complaining about the frequent power cuts in Karnataka!

When the Assembly elections for Karnataka took place, Acharya posted on his X handle that he had voted for “progressive, prosperous, and peaceful Karnataka.” 

He posted in support of the freebies offered by Karnataka Congress in their manifesto and compared it negatively to the “free fire” in the form of Love Jihad that the BJP and Hindu organisations were talking of. In the cartoon, he created the illusion that Siddharamaiah was taking his people to a better place with free electricity. 

In another cartoon, he compared PM Modi saying people were abusing him to a Victim Card while the Karnataka Congress government was offering Guarantees – a Guarantee Card!

He has earlier spoken against the Jihad ban in Karnataka. Acharya attempted to normalize the wearing of religious attire over school uniforms. However, his attempt was slammed by Islamists. 

Image Source: OpIndia

He also mocked Hindus over vaccine hesitancy but avoided addressing similar concerns within the Muslim community regarding the halal status of vaccines. He shared a cartoon depicting a man asking the nurse about the ‘Gothra’ of the vaccine to match it with his horoscope, something unheard of in the Hindu community. However, he refused to make a satire on Muslims demanding for Halal vaccine. 

With all this backstory on his political leanings and ideology, let us take a look at his latest post. On 19 March 2024, the same cartoonist who voted for progressive Congress and made a positive cartoon on the free electricity freebie was complaining of frequent power cuts. He wrote on his X handle, “ಸನ್ಮಾನ್ಯ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾದ ಶ್ರೀ @siddaramaiah ಸರ್, lots of children & youngsters are preparing for exams. And in this part of Karnataka(not sure about other parts), there’s been frequent power cuts. Last Sunday, there was a power cut from 11 am till 7.30 PM. Today, no power for the whole day(Tuesdays are known for regular power cuts, but can’t that be avoided during exam time?) Please remember that most families can’t afford inverter or generator. Please be compassionate towards students.”

Acharya could probably make a satire on the power cuts in Karnataka. 

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The Nexus Between DMK And Lottery Martin That The Likes Of TNM Won’t Tell You

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The Commune
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While Tamil Nadu journalists and news media outlets have been vocal in labeling the Electoral Bonds introduced by the BJP as a scam and corruption, they remained conspicuously silent when the ruling DMK government received a significant portion of its electoral bond purchases from Santiago Martin, known as the Lottery Kingpin. Between 2019 and 14 November 2023, the DMK received a staggering ₹656.50 crore worth of electoral bonds, out of which ₹509 crore originated from Martin. Martin’s companies have been under investigation by agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) since 2016 for alleged lottery fraud across multiple states.

However, what news media outlets like TNM won’t mention is that Future Gaming and Hotel Services contributed ₹60 crore in 2020-2021, ₹160 crore in 2022-2023, and ₹40 crore from 2023 till now. Additionally, the largest contribution of electoral bonds from Martin to the DMK, amounting to ₹249 crore, took place during the 2021-2022 financial year, coinciding with crucial Assembly elections in April 2021 and urban local bodies in February 2022. Despite the party receiving donations through electoral bonds since 2020, the media’s response to these transactions has been noticeably subdued compared to their scrutiny of similar issues involving the BJP.

When the DMK came to power in May 2021, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram hinted that the TN state government might consider reintroducing the sale of lottery tickets to bolster revenue. However, this suggestion faced significant backlash, leading to silence on the matter. While discussing the statements, he also pointed out instances of illegal lottery ticket sales across various regions of Tamil Nadu. Media outlets have reported instances where law enforcement confiscated prohibited lottery tickets in the state. This indicates the considerable influence wielded by the lottery lobby in Tamil Nadu.

It is a known fact that earlier lottery tickets sale in Tamil Nadu resulted in perishing of families, akin to the current severity of liquor addiction in the state.

Reports confirm that Martin has been associated with senior DMK leaders in Tamil Nadu and is seen as someone close to them. Notably, Tamil Nadu’s former Advocate General PS Raman represented Martin in a case in the Kerala High Court, despite objections from the then Chief Minister of Kerala.

Following the ascension of ex-AIADMK chief and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to power in 2011, her government initiated a crackdown on DMK leaders and their supporters. Martin, along with some DMK leaders, faced legal actions related to fraud and land grabbing. He was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Vellore in 2012.

However, Martin underwent an image makeover and made substantial contributions to the state treasury during times of disasters, notably during Cyclone Gaja in November 2018, where he donated ₹ 5 crore for relief efforts. He also made significant contributions during Cyclone Vardah in 2016 and the Chennai floods in 2015. However, he is under suspicion for murder and faces allegations of involvement in scams across three states, namely Karnataka, Sikkim, and Kerala, relating to the illegal sale of lotteries, which are currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

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Dravidian Model Social Justice: DMK Ally KMDK’s Suriamoorthi Given MP Seat Under ‘Rising Sun’ Symbol, Had Called Dalits “Beggars” And Threatened To Kill Those Doing Inter-Caste Marriages

By
The Commune
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The Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) announced S. Suriamoorthi as its candidate for the Namakkal Parliamentary Constituency on 18 March 2024, nominated by the DMK as part of the I.N.D.I. Alliance. Suriamoorthi will contest under the DMK’s ‘rising sun’ symbol. A 51-year-old native of Sivagiri in Kodumudi block, he currently resides in Namakkal. Engaged in farming and construction activities, he previously contested unsuccessfully in Assembly elections in Modakkurichi in 2001, in Vellakoil in 2006, and as the party candidate in Modakkurichi in 2016. Suriamoorthi joined KMDK in 2007 and has served as its youth wing secretary for the past seven years. 

As soon as this announcement was made, an undated video of his speech made the rounds on social media platform X. In this undated video, he is seen giving out a warning to people from the “lower caste” not to woo his community women otherwise “he and his boys will unleash a reign of terror”.

Here is the translation of the entire speech: The video begins when he says, “They say I speak too brashly. We are a community that donate (food) to tens of homes, You are a begging dog in those ten houses, if you speak that much, I donate to ten houses, I have enough wealth for 10 generations, so you can measure to what extent I can speak. If you train your eyes on the Gounder community women or the Gounder Community, if a low caste wants to become a high caste, they must work hard and earn. But if you lead your youth by wrongly propagating that if they marry a Goundachi (Gounder woman) they can become a high caste, if you do that, we will commit genocide when he is in his mother’s womb.”

He added, “Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam’s youth wing is working towards a goal. I am telling the intelligence wing here, don’t think that Gounders will not get into a fight or go to jail, we are at a stage where we have to do that. In a village, there are unmarried people in their 30s and 40s. Do you think we will sit and watch our girls roaming around with other boys? We have a 1500-member strong youth wing in Erode. If you try to touch our community girls, we will root out the embryo in the womb itself.”

He further added, “We have decided that if someone else (from another community) takes away (elopes with) our girls, we will try to counsel them over it. If they listen to us, both will be spared. If not, we are ready to kill both of them.”

He then goes on to narrate an incident in Kanchi that took place 5-6 years before the event in the video. It was a case of eloping and they tried to counsel the people involved and told them not to elope with a person from another caste. They did not listen to what we told them and justified how they would take care of a child if it were to be born. He counselled the girl once again and told her that if she wanted to see the boy she loved alive, she had to forget and let go of him. If not, he warned her that the boy would be slaughtered. This, he said, was at a different time. He also proudly said that he and his community youth wing were ready to go to jail for this cause.

He also proclaimed that if any male or female from the Gounder community was facing an issue, one must not hesitate to take a violent step. He added, “If the police think I am promoting terrorism, yes we are. Try to stop it.”

He further said, “Give rice, pulses, clothes to the oppressed communities, but if you make law convenient for them then the Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam will take law in our hands. Law and order will go haywire in Tamil Nadu. You people are claiming free houses and food by proclaiming your caste. You use your caste to claim concessions and allowance (benefits), why do you feel pained when we mention the caste name? A beggar can be called a beggar only, can we call him master?”

He continued his speech by saying, “Yesterday there was a debate and the topic was “Hard work is development/progress”. But the verdict of the debate was that “Culture is progress”. I pondered how this could be because I progressed because of hard work.” He then enumerated the businesses he set up and complained that even after all this, he could not find a bride for his son. He said, “I had to go to Kerala to find a bride for him. Such was the situation. What is the reason for that? Cultural degradation. That’s when I thought it over. Even if we earn a lot, we should protect our culture.”

He further added that we must not point fingers at the girls of the community alone. He pointed out that parents enroll children in big schools but fail to inculcate knowledge about their own culture. He added, “If your child hands you his salary, we parents don’t say a word. We just listen to what they say. If we wait for the child to repay the loans at the age of 23 and let them work further at their job, they will elope with someone else. What is the point of crying then?”

The video concludes when he says, “Our boys intend to take care of the girl he is married to and works hard for it. But the boys from other communities look at our girls as prized possessions who come from wealthy families.” He ends by warning the intelligence department that in the coming days, murders will occur in Kongunadu.

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