News Tamil Nadu

From Rajinikanth To Annamalai: Highlights Of Editor S Gurumurthy’s Speech At Thuglak’s 54th Anniversary

January 15, 2024
The Commune

The 54th Annual meeting of Tamil weekly news magazine was held at the Music Academy in Chennai on 14 January 2024. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president K Annamalai were the chief guests for the occasion. As per tradition that Thuglak has been following over the years, questions to the Editor were placed and S Gurumurthy patiently answered all the questions put forth by readers and supporters of the magazine. This was followed by a speech by Shashi Tharoor and Gurumurthy himself. 

Highlights Of S Gurumurthy’s Speech

Thuglak editor S. Gurumurthy, in his address, spoke about how former editor Cho Ramaswamy asked him to read Murasoli, DMK’s mouthpiece to understand Tamil Nadu politics. He compared how the DMK moved from a party that was philosophy-led to dynastic politics by brainwashing the cadre to be loyal to the family. He also outlined how Udhayanidhi Stalin went from saying no to politics to becoming a minister in the state government’s cabinet. He also highlighted that there is no media in Tamil Nadu that questions any of the petty statements that were being made by the party in power. He also stated that Annamalai’s chance to dent the DMK is because of the way the party has turned out to be. 

Later Gurumurthy also listed out the land grabbing cases that were a highlight of the Dravidian model rule – a whopping 18000 cases. He also touched upon the war of words between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and DMK’s Udhayanidhi Stalin while listing out how EVR, Anna spoke about the oppressed and the minorities. 

Quoting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin’s warning to the central government over the alleged use of government machinery to target DMK’s politicians, Gurumurthy said that he felt bad looking at the party that was built by Karunanidhi and that the party was becoming an anarchy party and that meant that it was not only the DMK that is in danger but entire Tamil Nadu too. 

He highlighted that the media and newspapers were not presenting factual information but rather spreading propaganda. Gurumurthy also outlined the accomplishments of the UP government, emphasizing their efforts in maintaining law and order.

Gurumurthy also recounted how Nehru reacted at the time of Somnath temple reconstruction and inauguration and how secularism was preventing Congress from participating in the Pran Prathishtha of the Bhavya Ram Mandir. 

Gurumurthy said that Edappadi Palaniswami should take full responsibility for not forming an alliance with the BJP against the DMK in Tamil Nadu. He also said that each citizen should speak to a hundred people in this election and that they should vote for the BJP. BJP’s growth in Tamilnadu is the only way to counter DMK, AIADMK has given up its opposition to DMK. He also said, “Edappadi thinks that it is enough to run it as a small party.”

He also discussed the BJP’s chances in Tamil Nadu and the potential for Annamalai to assume the role of Chief Minister in 2026. However, he emphasized that this likelihood would significantly hinge on the BJP’s performance in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. When introducing Annamalai as the speaker, he mentioned that actor Rajinikanth had considered Annamalai as a possible Chief Ministerial candidate when contemplating his entry into politics. Gurumurthy mentioned that when Rajinikanth initially informed him about Annamalai, Gurumurthy was unfamiliar with Annamalai’s identity and only had knowledge of him being an IPS officer in Karnataka through a newspaper. Gurumurthy, commending Annamalai for making a significant impact in Tamil Nadu before entering politics, hailed him as a beacon of hope for the BJP in the state.

The full event is available for watch in Thuglak Digital and Chanakya’s YouTube channel

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