Special Articles Tamil Nadu

From Kamarajar, MGR, Jaya, EPS, To Media, Governor, Judges And North Indians: The Many Abuses Of DMK Leader RS Bharathi 

November 7, 2023
The Commune

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and Organisational Secretary of the party, RS Bharathi was in the news over the weekend for his racist and derogatory comments on the people of Nagaland. 

Speaking at an event commemorating the 100th anniversary celebrations of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch Karunanidhi, Bharathi said, “What is the governor doing? He just wants to create problems for the ruling government. We have seen so many governors, but what this governor does is create a fuss and drag us into a fight. He refuses to sign the bills we send. I addressed a gathering about what happened to him in Nagaland; they chased him away. Don’t mistake me; I am just quoting an example. The people of Nagaland eat dog meat. If someone who eats dog meat themselves has so much self-respect that they chased away this governor, then imagine how much self-respect Tamils, who consume food with salt, would have. The day he was chased away, the people of Nagaland celebrated it like Deepavali.”

But this isn’t his first time in making derogatory comments about an individual or a community. Here is a list of the many instances where Bharathi ran his mouth about various public figures and people. 

Insulting EPS

During an event in Ambattur, Chennai in 2021, DMK leader RS Bharathi made derogatory remarks about the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edappadi Palaniswami. He said, “He has forgotten with whose help, this dog, this man sat on the CM’s chair. Those who kick the ladder that they used for climbing up have never met a good end. I would say even MGR is also like that. MGR was nurtured and made into a leader by this movement. But you know what happened when he betrayed. He passed away without being able to speak.”.

Making Derogatory Remarks On Jayalalithaa

He also made disrespectful comments about J. Jayalalithaa, implying that he was responsible for sending her to jail in the TANSI case, and even suggested speaking to her from her memorial. He said, “Go wake her up from the samadhi [memorial] and ask”. He also added, “Recently, Jayalalithaa’s memorial hall was opened on January 27. They gave ₹40,000 per bus from all over Tamil Nadu. They gave ₹2000 to those who boarded the bus. They picked them up and dropped them off at Marina Beach. Edappadi and OPS thought that the whole crowd would come to the Jayalalithaa memorial. But the crowd thought, instead of visiting that ‘moodhevi’ (a derogatory slang in Tamil), they visited Kalaignar’s [Karunanidhi’s] memorial”.

Dravidian Movement’s Alms That Dalits Could Become Judges In TN

R S Bharathi was arrested by the Central Crime Branch of the Chennai city police in May 2020 for allegedly making inflammatory remarks at a party meeting in February. In his speech, Bharati reportedly said that it was only because of the Dravidian movement’s alms (pichchai) that Dalits were able to become judges in Tamil Nadu. Referring to a judge, he reportedly said that many Dalits were inducted into the judiciary because of the indulgence of the DMK leadership during former chief minister M Karunanidhi’s tenure. Speaking at an event in Anbagam (the DMK youth wing headquarters), in February 2020, he said “If Tamil Nadu remains the best state, it is because of the Dravidian movement. No Harijan has become a judge of the High Court in Madhya Pradesh. After Karunanidhi became Chief Minister A Varadarajan was appointed as HC judge. Seven or eight others from the Adi Dravidar community went on to become judges after that. It is the alms (picchai) given by the Dravidian Movement”. He later issued an apology for his remarks.

Governor Also Like Bihari Panipuri Sellers

In January 2023, at a public meeting, he compared the Governor to a migrant worker from Bihar and said that he would not have left without being beaten had Jayalalitha been alive. “I had earlier stated that those who sell Soan papdi and Panipuri don`t know the pride of Tamil Nadu. I said this in a meeting. I came to know that many have come from Bihar and I think the Governor (RN Ravi) has similarly come by train,”. 

Redlight Media

In February 2020, in a video widely shared on social media, the DMK leader is heard asking why the media had made a matter of debate about his party employing political strategist Prashant Kishor. In a four-minute video clip that went viral, Bharathi can be heard saying: “I am silent because I am in this party post of organising secretary. These journalists don’t have a job. They only blame us. (Arvind) Kejriwal used Prashant Kishor, Narendra Modi used him and many others used him. But they discuss only when the DMK is using him and now it has become a debate. I say it openly that these TV journalists are real scoundrels. They run debates like red-light area in Mumbai. They do anything for money. ‘Thalapathy’ (MK Stalin) goes to temples, but that doesn’t become a debate, people in his house go to a temple, and they discuss it. Is it very important for the country?”

Insults Kamarajar

In October 2022, RS Bharati at an event said, “Supreme Leader Kamaraj said he would cut off the thumb of DMK members. But it was us who built his grave. No Congressmen did that. To date, everyone is worshiping in the grave we built for Kamaraj.” “I’m sorry. I’m just telling history. I don’t mean to hurt anyone,” he said.

North Indians Are Fools

At a meeting (in an undated video), Bharathi is seen saying, “The reason why Tamil Nadu is the best state in India is because of the DMK. The people in the other states are fools, they have no brains, these north Indians, I am saying this openly.”

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