Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi has once again found herself at the centre of a controversy over selective outrage. The Thoothukudi MP criticised Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for addressing the All India Brahmin Conference organised by Shri Brahmin Sabha in Delhi’s Pitampura, accusing her of pandering to caste interests. In her post, Kanimozhi wrote, “Glorifying the caste system and elevating the made-up ‘greatness’ of a particular caste is the bane of this country. Even after several people are killed in the name of caste, an elected representative and a Chief Minister, speaking in praise of it, is repulsive, shameful and anti-national. This is the divide the BJP is deliberately deepening, the same oppressive structure that Periyar spent his life fighting to destroy. Recently, even the Tamil Nadu Governor asked why Tamil Nadu fights. He needs to understand that this is the battle we will never stop fighting.”
The Delhi Chief Minister, in her Pitampura address, said, “If anyone is igniting the flame of knowledge in society, it is our Brahmin community. They worship not only scriptures but also weapons. Only through weapons and scriptures can we protect society and the country today.”
“By igniting the flame of knowledge, propagating religion, and fostering a spirit of goodwill, the Brahmin community has always worked for the benefit of society. No matter which government is in power, it should work for the welfare of the Brahmin community to take them forward.”
However, Kanimozhi’s criticism rings hollow in light of her own participation in a similar caste-based conference just 18 months ago. In April 2024, she proudly shared photographs and posts about attending the Nadar Sangam conference in Tirunelveli, where she not only praised the community’s role in Tamil society but also used the platform to seek support for the I.N.D.I. alliance.
In her 2024 post, Kanimozhi described the event as an opportunity to “mobilise support for the INDI alliance“. But today, she has condemned another leader for doing exactly what she herself did — attending a community gathering and appreciating its contribution to society.
These remarks, praising a community’s traditional role in education and culture, are similar in tone and intent to Kanimozhi’s own public speeches at community events.
Kanimozhi’s selective outrage underscores the hypocrisy that defines DMK’s caste politics where identity-based mobilisation is celebrated when it benefits them politically but condemned when others do it.
In short, Kanimozhi’s criticism of the Delhi Chief Minister is not about principles. It’s about peddling hate against one particular community.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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