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DMK: A Self-Proclaimed ‘Self-Respect’ Party Where There Is No Self-Respect

December 21, 2022
Pradeep

Ever since the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party came to power in May 2021, the number of instances displaying political high handedness, U-turns, arrogance, and discrimination is endless.

The range of issues on which the party has made irresponsible comments, brazenly insensitive caste and religion based statements, displayed gross misuse of power, has provided enough fodder for the Tamil Nadu media, social media platforms and the common man for commentary.

The DMK managed to scrap through a win on account of the vulnerabilities in the AIADMK. People hoped that a change in regime will bring them dawn and that’s what the DMK promised. However, the DMK is fast depleting its trust reserves among the Tamil people as witnessed by the public’s reactions to the words, actions and behaviour of DMK leaders, revealing the party’s true colours and exposing its dark side. The statements, actions and behaviour of its top brass are in complete contrast to the ideals that it preaches – “social equality”, “social justice”, and “self respect” regardless of caste or religion.

The DMK claims to be the only true mainstream custodian of non-discrimination and ‘self-respect’ in Tamil Nadu and the sole protectors of the masses across caste and religious lines, a subject that is hotly debated and joked about at present, based on the open and blatant discriminatory personal conduct of its leaders in public, which is reflective of a party culture where its own proclaimed social justice, self respect principles are flouted almost on a daily basis!

Here’s a long list of incidents, many of them shocking in nature, considering the core principles that the DMK preaches and potently uses against its opponents! They are reflective of its narrow mindedness and feudal tendencies.

Number 1: When RS Bharathi Degraded Dalit Judges

Speaking at an event in Anbagam (the DMK youth wing headquarters), senior DMK leader RS Bharathi in February 2020 said that it was because of the ‘alms’ given by the Dravidian Movement that made Dalits become judges.

Number 2: Feudal Mindset Of DMK Leaders 

• In May 2020, DMK leaders T.R.Balu and Dayanidhi Maran’s statement at a public meeting “Are we from a downtrodden community?” in reference to the perceived inferiority of the SC/ST communities, was unabashedly discriminatory for a party that claims to be anti-caste. The casteist comment stirred a major controversy in Tamil Nadu.

Number 3: DMK MLA Makes A Dalit Carry His Slippers

Ambur DMK MLA A.C. Vilwanathan had gone to visit the rain-damaged barrier at Ponnappally village in Thirupatthur district. Panchayat Secretary, Shankar was seen following him around with the MLA’s slippers in his hands. Sankar belongs to a Scheduled Caste community.

Video of Dalit man carrying slippers of DMK MLA goes viral

Number 4: Dalit Leaders Denied Dignity

In February 2021, as part of Stalin’s election campaign meeting held at Erode T.N.Payalam, MP Anthiyur Selvaraj, belonging to the Arundathiyar community, was asked not to mingle with the party seniors along with Stalin. He was made to sit on a chair below the dais, clearly a decision based on caste.

DMK Exposed: Massive Controversy Erupts after Dalit DMK MP was not Allowed to Share the Dais with Party Chief M K Stalin

Number 5: DMK Minister Carried By Fishermen To Prevent His Footwear From Becoming Wet

DMK Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan was carried by fishermen in order to allegedly save his expensive footwear from getting wet!

Number 6: Prejudiced Treatmenr For VCK Leader

In August-2021, VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, was offered a plastic chair, not once but twice by DMK ministers in the presence of DMK Minister R.S. Rajakannappan, who was seen seated in a plush sofa seat. The VCK party leader Thiruma was seen with “respectfully” folded hands seated in a plastic chair.

Dravidian Social Justice: Dalit leader Thol. Thiruma sits on plastic chair with hands folded in front of DMK Min

In another similar incident DMK MLA Anbazhagan was seen sitting in a comfortable, cushioned chair while Thiruma was once again seen sitting in a plastic chair.

Number 7: Casteist Abuses At Government Officers

In March 2022 DMK minister Raja Kannappan verbally abused a Block Development Officer belonging to Scheduled Caste community. It stirred controversy among the public which resulted in the re-shuffling of the cabinet.

Number 8: Demeaning Dalit Woman Leader

In May 2022: DMK’s propaganda secretary, Dindigul Leoni said that Chief Minister MK Stalin was solely responsible for a Dravidian revolution by elevating a member of the Dalit community “that once carried slippers on their heads”, to the position of a Chennai Mayor. The casteist slur received strong condemnation from human rights activists.The intentional reference to the member and his community’s caste-based occupation/plight was an unnecessary, insulting reminder.

Number 9: Assaulting A Poor Woman

Minister KKSSR Ramachandran assaulted a poor woman who had come to seek his help with a petition in Virudhunagar, Palavanatham village.The video indicates an attitude of arrogance and superiority over a member of a lower caste community.

Number 10: Abusing Hindu Rituals

In July 2022 DMK’s Dharmapuri MP S Senthil kumar’s angry, unjustified rant against a bhooja puja ceremony for a government project, in full public view, displayed a deep rooted anti-Hindu, religious hatred. His comments captured on video garnered wide spread criticism from various quarters, as unnecessary and “extreme”. While there was no objection to it by the audience and participants, Senthil Kumar is seen arrogantly questioning a government employee, on why only a Hindu priest was present and priests of the Christian and Muslim religions were not, at the inauguration ceremony. It is an old, widely accepted aspect on cultural and religious lines in India, to have a traditional inauguration done, to which the general public and even the courts have not objected to!

Number 11: No Chairs For Dalit Panchayat Leaders

In a survey conducted by the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF), it was shocking to discover that many Dalit panchayat presidents in the state were not allowed the convenience and dignity of a chair in their offices. The survey found, that in 22 out of the 386 panchayats surveyed, Dalit presidents were not provided chairs. They were not even allowed to hoist the national flag, when the country was all set to celebrate its 75th Independence on August 15, 2022.

Number 12: Denying Agency To Dalit Woman Mayor

Minister K.N. Nehru behaviour towards Mayor Priya, reeked of a high handed attitude implying casteist discrimination towards a member of a SC community. His comments on the dais in full view of the audience “yemma, va, nillu” in Tamil, are instructive/commanding in nature and indicative of disrespect for the woman’s mayoral position, on the basis of her caste.

Number 13: Wilfully Hurting Hindu Sentiments 

DMK Deputy General Secretary A. Raja’s derogatory comments on Hindus “You’re untouchable as long as you’re Hindu and a “Shudra” as long as you remain a Hindu”, hurt Hindu sentiments and caused an uproar, leading to public demonstrations of displeasure at the minister’s comments, a man known for his anti-Hindu rants.

Number 14: Belittling Women For Using ‘Free’ Bus

DMK Minister Ponmudi  made remarks in a belittling way while reminding women members in the audience about the ‘free bus scheme for women’ introduced by Stalin government.

“For you only 4000 rupees per card. Did he (Stalin) give or not? You got it right? Open your mouth and say. You got 4000 right? How are you going in bus today? If you want to go from here to Koyambedu or anywhere, you are going in ‘OC’ (free). You are going in ‘OC’ bus.”, he said.

His comments clearly imply that people of the lower working class communities, ought to be grateful for the generosity of the chief minister and hence stop complaining or asking for other basic necessities.

Number 15: Unnecessary Reference To The Caste Of A Dalit Woman

“See who’s the chairman of this village? You are from a downtrodden community right? You are ST right?”, said Ponmudi during a panchayat event. Such blatantly casteist comments are unethical and uncalled for, by a senior DMK leader and the Minister for Higher Education, K Ponmudi. He had also openly and publicly referred to a Mugaiyur Panchayat woman member, by her caste name.

Number 16: Practicing Untouchability

On 23 September 2022, leader of Vanvengaigal party Iraniyan went to meet DMK Minister KKSSR Ramachandra at his residence in Greenways Road, Chennai. He was reportedly made to wait for more than 3.5 hours. After much persuasion, Iraniyan was asked to leave his slippers out and come inside. He was called by his caste name, in a clear indication of Ramachandran’s belief in the superiority of his own caste. The petitioner was not even offered a seat despite having many sofas around.  When Iraniyan had come forward to turn the pages of the petition to explain the problem in details, he was asked to maintain distance

Number 17: Disrespecting Cadres Of Own Party

In October 2022 during the DMK general council meeting DMK Lok Sabha MP T.R. Baalu asked one of the party workers to bring his footwear. The volunteer was seen carrying the sandals and placing them at the leader’s feet.

Number 18: Abusing Women

DMK functionary Saidai Sadiq’s shameful, gender-specific comments reached a new low and caused a furore in many circles when he called BJP women leaders, Gayathri Raghuram, Namitha and Gautami “items” (a demeaning, colloquial term for actresses in certain types of songs and movie scenes in Indian films). He had also mocked the popular actress turned politician, Khushbu who had earlier had a stint with the DMK.

Number 19: Bossy High-handedness Towards Party Cadre

2G scam tainted, DMK MP A Raja can be seen holding his head high and ignoring party workers and visitors who bend over in his presence, as a sign of respect.

Number 20: Making The Mayor And Commissioner Ride Footboard

Chennai mayor, R Priya and senior IAS officer, Gagandeep Singh Bedi were seen riding on the footboard of a vehicle that was part of the TN CM’s convoy, during an inspection of the city. The CM did nothing to stop this shameful act and instead appeared to be pleased with the attempt to gain his favour. This type of behaviour does not bode well for people holding elected or bureaucratic positions and takes away the dignity accorded to such positions.

Number 21: Subservience To The First Family

At the ‘coronation’ ceremony of the actor turned politician Udayanidhi Stalin, seasoned and experienced DMK members and ministers, bowed down in submission to the CM’s wife and his young, inexperienced son accompanied by comments on wanting to work for a future leader and possibly the chief minister! Yet another act of nepotism in a dynastic party promoting family members over senior, talented, accomplished leaders based on merit.

Number 22: Singing Praises For The First Family

That the DMK has become a family party and not a people’s party or a social justice party as it claims is evident. In the TN state assembly, DMK ministers were seen heaping undue praise and flattery on CM Stalin’s son, actor-turned-politician, Udayanidhi Stalin. Their flattery ranged from comparing the Karunanidhi ‘dynasty’ with characters from revered Hindu spirirual texts and ancient Tamil kingdoms to a recounting of the names of his Tamil movies.

Number 23: Denying General Seats To Dalit Leaders

VCK leader Vanniyarasu in an interview had said that during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections the VCK had asked for contesting from a general (unreserved) constituency to which Karunanidhi had supposedly said “You guys don’t aspire for general seats”.

Number 24: Step-Motherly Treatment Within Family For Marrying A Dalit

There are whispers that M. Karunanidhi chose Stalin over MK Alagiri as his political heir because M.K.Alagiri married a Dalit woman. DMK family never acknowledged this marriage and was not allowed in their family functions. Even today, MK Alagiri is kept aloof from the first family, both politically and personally.

Number 25: Usurping Panchami Land

Panachami lands are lands assigned to be distributed for the Scheduled Caste people in Tamil Nadu during the British rule in 1892. It can neither be sold nor re-classified. There are lot of instances of panchami land being appropriated by DMK workers and leaders. The Murasoli building is located in Kodambakkam, one of the prominent areas in Chennai

Number 26: Killing Dalits

A large number of laborers from the tea estates of Manjolai (mostly Dalits) congregated in Tirunelveli and protested for better wages. A large contingent of stone-throwing and lathi-wielding police brutally assaulted the protesters forcing them to run toward the river. It resulted in the death of 17 laborers, including two women and a two-year-old child.

Number 27: Scanty Representation For Dalits

The population of Dalits is around 1.40 crore in Tamil Nadu but their representation in DMK’s powerful body is only 1.65% during the year 2018.

Number 28: Discrimination Of Dalit Leaders

Dalit woman leader Sathyavani Muthu, Former MP, the late C. T. Dhandapani, Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, and V.P. Duraiswami are some of the leaders at a higher level who was ill-treated by DMK and later quit DMK for the lack of respect. We cannot count on at the grass-root level discrimination.