Site icon The Commune

From ‘Vadakkan’ To Panipuri Seller To Pigs: Here’s How DMK Leaders Have Been Making Xenophobic Remarks Against Hindi-Speaking North Indians

The Commune

The ruling DMK has consistently displayed hostility toward the Hindi language and, whenever possible, has made derogatory remarks and slurs, not just against the language but also against Hindi-speaking people from North India. By continually stoking linguistic tensions, the party leverages this sentiment to maintain its political influence in the state.

Below are some instances where DMK leaders have propagated anti-Hindi and anti-North Indian rhetoric in Tamil Nadu.

DMK MSME Minister T.M. Anbarasan

I.N.D.I ally and the DMK MSME Minister, T.M. Anbarasan, has once again found himself at the center of controversy after making disparaging remarks about North Indians in the ongoing debate over parliamentary seat delimitation. He compared the region’s population growth to pigs giving birth, a statement that has drawn widespread criticism. This comes shortly after another contentious remark at a DMK event, where he suggested that Hindi speakers in his household were involved in cattle herding—comments seen as derogatory toward migrant laborers who work hard to earn their livelihood.

At an event organized by Pallavaram North DMK to celebrate the 72nd birthday of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, which also included the distribution of welfare assistance, DMK MSME Minister T.M. Anbarasan spoke about India’s population policies and their impact on parliamentary seat allocation.

He recalled that the family planning program was first introduced in India in 1966 to curb population growth, as India remains the most populous country after China. He mentioned that the program initially promoted the slogan “We Two, Ours Two,” which later changed to “We Two, Ours One,” emphasizing the need for population control. He noted that southern states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh adhered to the central government’s guidelines on family planning, leading to a decline in population growth in these regions.

However, he criticized the northern states for not following the same measures, resulting in a significant population increase. He argued that this has now led to parliamentary seat redistribution based on population, disproportionately affecting the southern states. He pointed out that Tamil Nadu’s 39 parliamentary constituencies and other southern states’ seats are being reduced, while northern states gain more representation.

He said, “Initially, they said, ‘We Two, Ours Two,’. Then they said, ‘We Two, Ours One.’ After five years, they said, ‘We are children, why we need child’. Like Tamil Nadu, the southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh all accepted and strictly followed the central government’s policies, ensuring that our guys did not have more than one or two children. As a result, the population in these states decreased. However, if you look at North Indians, the population has increased significantly, breeding like pigs. Now, they are using this population as a basis for seat reorganization, which is negatively impacting our constituencies.”

Anbarasan further alleged that the central government was prioritizing the northern states for political advantage, ensuring dominance in governance. He accused the government of withholding funds, including ₹2,150 crore meant for education, and neglecting the interests of the southern states. Additionally, he criticized the central government’s approach toward gubernatorial appointments, alleging interference in state governance.

This is not the first time Anbarasan has made such derogatory statements. Take a look at his history of such remarks.

Ridiculing Hindi Speakers 

Previous to the above disparaging remark, I.N.D.I ally and DMK’s MSME Minister, T.M. Anbarasan, made contentious remarks at a DMK event, stating that Hindi speakers in his household are engaged in cattle herding. His comments were seen as disparaging towards migrant laborers who earn their livelihood through hard work and perseverance.

He said, “Where are the ones who studied Hindi? Where are they? those who studied Hindi are rearing cows at my home. I’m not joking, It’s true. They are selling Panipuri, mason, carpenters. If we study Hindi we also have to go to North India and sell Panipuri.” 

Grudge Over Working North Indian Migrant Laborers

In March 20224, during an event organized by Alandur Government Higher Secondary School, DMK MSME Minister T.M. Anbarasan commented that men in Tamil Nadu were not engaged in work but rather loitering in TASMAC for liquor. He noted that wherever he looked, Hindi-speaking individuals and women were the ones working, despite the content of his speech being intended as humorous, seemed to overlook the harsh reality of citizens’ lives.

Anbarasan commented, “Now women are working more than men, no men are working. Our men are heading towards TASMAC after sending their wives to work. Look, I’m not saying this for laughs… This is our family, our people, so I’m talking happily. Men don’t work, I’ve said this in many gatherings, you can check who is at the tea shop. Who is there? There is only a northerner who came through migration, even if go to Adyar Ananda Bhavan there are only Hindi speaking people. He doesn’t understand what Masala Dosa is, and we don’t understand what he is saying.”

DMK General Secretary & Minister For Water Resources Duraimurugan

On 11 March 2025, DMK General Secretary and Minister for Water Resources, Duraimurugan, expressed his hostility towards Hindi-speaking people during a DMK public meeting in Chennai East District, Thiru. V.K. Nagar North Area, while celebrating DMK chief and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M.K. Stalin’s birthday.

He called the Hindi language as “peeda”, a Tamil slur word which means bad omen. Duraimurugan, stated that learning Hindi would bring dosham(inauspiciousness), theetu (impurity), and misfortune. “From that time on, we have been opposing it. If we say we are opposing, it is not the language itself that we oppose. In our community, there are people who learn multiple languages—multilingual poets. However, if you study this particular language, you will face Dosham (inauspiciousness), Theetu(impurity), and misfortune. If you study English, you will go up (progress), but if you study Hindi, you will go down (decline).”

He further said, “No matter how much you learn Hindi, you cannot speak like them. Even though I know to speak Telugu, I cannot speak like them (Telugu people). We can speak, but we cannot speak like them. Likewise, what I said in the beginning, the abolition of Hindi means… Keep one thing in mind… Consider a man who is at home with his wife and having children and has brought a saraku (a courtesan or a second wife), do you understand the implication? Say, he has brought a second wife then they (the first wife) will lose her privilege and the second wife will be given preference. Likewise, what did he do? He tried to impose on us and we said no.“

Then he claimed that North Indians call us barbarians. He said, “He says we are barbarians. North Indians dare to call us barbarians! We are at the pinnacle of civilization. We were the ones who wove clothes from rat hair and sent them to Greece, Persia, and the Far East. Our kings crossed the seas and raised our flag as far as Vietnam. We are the ones who studied Agam and Puram, who delved into Kalingathuparani and Tolkappiyam, the scholars of literature, the creators of civilization, the practitioners of hygiene. And yet, a minister looks at us and calls us barbarians? Hey, you are nothing but a person who doesn’t even bathe—nothing more! You don’t bathe.“

To substantiate his point and mock North Indians, Duraimurugan, the General Secretary of the DMK, shared a story. He recounted that a man once tied a bull and announced that anyone who touched it would receive 1,000 rupees. A few people attempted but stopped halfway, saying they couldn’t do the task and turned back. “Then, a North Indian was asked to do the same—go, touch the bull, and return. As he approached the bull, however, the bull suddenly pulled away and ran off. The reason? The bull itself had wounds and was reeking, and our men (Tamils), unable to tolerate the smell, backed away. But in a twist, the bull fled—not because of its own stench, but because it couldn’t bear the stench of the North Indian!”, he said.

Even he goes on to ridicule North Indians, equating them to pigs and piglets for having many children, exercising his individual right. However, the DMK minister and general secretary, whose party advocates for individual rights, mocks them by saying, “Our guy says ‘we two, ours one,’ but he (North Indians) has produced (kids) like pigs there.“

DMK Deputy General Secretary & MP A Raja

Similar to the above DMK deputy general secretary and Nilgiris MP A. Raja speaking at an event in Coimbatore, made derogatory remarks about Hindi speakers. He said, “They say if we learn Hindi, we will get jobs. But the Hindi speakers who have come here are only doing construction labour jobs or in fields. Earlier they were only selling panipuri. Now they are working in farms.”

He further proudly stated, “Children from TN who studied English and Tamil are studying in America, England, Australia. So why should we study Hindi? The right to ask that question has been given to us by our Chief Minister.”

Former DMK Minister of Dairy Mano Thangaraj

In October 2022, DMK Minister Mano Thangaraj was once again accused of promoting xenophobia against North Indians. He made controversial remarks, including negative stereotypes, particularly targeting Gujaratis. Thangaraj claimed that North Indians roam around in loincloths and suggested that learning Hindi would lead to jobs in labor sectors, such as working at Parotta stalls and street vendors.

Speaking at an unknown event, Mano Thangaraj said, “Today, the Tamil community and the Indian community is mired in illusion. In north India, people even today roam around in loincloth. If you get an opportunity, go to Gujarat and see. No need to go anywhere else. Once you land there, they will deceive you showing Ahmedabad, Gandhi Nagar, etc. Don’t even look that side. Ask them to show the rural area. Go see the rural area. If you see the rural areas, you will see those people only wear loincloth.”, DMK Minister Mano Thangaraj said.

He further said “In a public meeting yesterday, I asked people who are working in the parotta shops and chicken stalls here. North Indians. How can I get a job studying Hindi? They are coming to work here in parotta shops. I don’t have labourers here to work. From where am I getting labourers? I catch and bring Hindiwallas as labourers here. I pity them. They don’t know the language. They don’t know anything. If they learn Tamil, it will help them. They will get a job learning Tamil. Will I get a job learning Hindi? Such idiots they are. If we tell this, they are asking us to learn Hindi. Now a few our children know Hindi. I don’t have any problem with that. It’s not wrong. Why is the Central Government not making all 22 languages as official language?”

DMK Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply KN Nehru About Bihari And Lalu Yadav

In 2021, DMK Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban & Water Supply KN Nehru, while addressing an employment camp at the DMK office in Trichy, said, “Biharis lack brain as Tamilians have. People from Bihar are not as intelligent as Tamilians.”

“As Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav packed the Railways with Biharis, especially at lower-level jobs, despite the fact that Biharis were less brainy than Tamils,” DMK Minister KN Nehru has claimed.

“Over 4,000 Biharis work at the Southern Railway’s Golden Rock Workshop in Tiruchy. Similarly, the majority of railway crossing gatekeepers are Biharis. This is all due to the handiwork of Lalu Prasad Yadav.  When he was railway minister, he had all of his fellow Biharis copy the railway exams and then get them jobs on the railways. These people speak neither Tamil nor Hindi and lack the intelligence that we Tamils possess. Yet they are working in Tamil Nadu,” DMK Minister KN Nehru stated.

TKS Elangovan Says Hindi Will Make Tamils Shudras

Another DMK MP and senior leader TKS Elangovan spread hatred against Hindi speakers, saying, “Hindi is the language of backward states, Hindi will make us Shudra.” Elangovan also made hateful remarks citing that speaking Hindi will make us Shudras.

TKS Elangovan said, “Hindi is the native tongue in only underdeveloped states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Look at West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Punjab. Aren’t all these developed states? Hindi is not the mother tongue of the people of these states. Hindi will convert us to Shudras. Hindi will be no good for us.”

Elangovan claimed that speaking Hindi would enslave them. Accusing Hindi lovers of destroying the culture, he added, “They are trying to destroy the culture and trying to impose Manu Dharma through Hindi. This should not be allowed. If we did, we will be slaves, Shudras.”

Hindi Speakers Do Menial Jobs Said DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran

Dhayanidhi Maran, DMK MP, stated in a public meeting that people who learned Hindi work as construction workers and wash toilets in Tamil Nadu, whereas Tamilians hold high-level positions in the IT sector.

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.”

This other time, while speaking at a public meeting he had called north Indians and Hindi speaking people as ‘idiots’ who will vote for 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.

‘Vadakkan’ Slurs Hurled By DMK MLA TRB Rajaa And His IT Wing

DMK MLA TRB Rajaa had spewed venom against north Indians umpteen number of times. He had once said ‘Vadakkans’ (slur for North Indian) don’t have a sense of democracy adding that Biharis will remain at the bottom because of their voting choices.

Isai, the DMK state deputy secretary of the IT wing, has used slurs like “Paani puri vaayan” and “Paanparak Vaayan” to insult north Indian migrant workers.

DMK Minister of Commercial Taxes, Registration and Stamp Law, Moorthy Calling For Boycott Of North Indian Businessmen

Recently, DMK Minister Murthy incited hatred towards North Indian businessmen by stating that they should not be allowed to do business in Tamil Nadu and that only Tamil businessmen should do business throughout Tamil Nadu. He also suggested that Tamil businessmen come forward to help send North Indian businessmen out of Tamil Nadu.

RS Bharathi Demeaning North Indians

DMK Organizational Secretary RS Bharathi sparked a controversy by saying that North Indians sell panipuri in Tamil Nadu and the Governor is also like them. He also compared the Governor to a migrant worker from Bihar and said that he would not have left without being beaten had Jayalalitha been alive.

He said, “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,”. 

North Indians Are Fools

At a meeting (in an undated video), Bharathi was 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.”

Says Bihar & UP People Eat Chapati Kurma At Amma Canteen

During a party meeting in Chennai in September 2024, RS Bharathi questioned the relevance of Amma Unavagam, the late Jayalalithaa’s pet project. He asked about the need for a low-cost meal scheme after her death and accused AIADMK leaders of exploiting it.

He also claimed that only the north Indian workers benefited from Amma Unavagam on Tamil Nadu taxpayers’ money.

During his speech, Bharathi criticized AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), dismissing claims that the DMK government had closed Amma Unavagam. He said, “Amma (Jayalalithaa) herself has left (died), then what is the need for Amma Unavagam? Edappadi and his gang ate idli and dosa for one and a half crore rupees while Amma (Jayalalithaa) was in the hospital. Now they are acting like the DMK has shut down Amma Unavagam, where just about 150 people eat daily,” Bharathi remarked.

Bharathi also attacked the Jayalalithaa government’s management of Amma Unavagam, alleging that “wasted food” was served there. He said, “The Jayalalithaa government served leftover food in Amma Unavagam. The chapati and kuruma served at night in Amma Unavagam are consumed by people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. We spend our tax money and feed him,” said RS Bharathi.

When MK Stalin Peddled Xenophobia

MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, himself has incited hatred against North Indians working in Tamil Nadu. He stated, while campaigning for the 2021 state assembly elections in Tiruvannamalai on 25 March 2021, “They’re conspiring to place Hindi-speaking youngsters in jobs in Tamil Nadu and grow BJP through that here. The Edappadi Palaniswami government may be a mute spectator to this. But DMK or Tamil Nadu people won’t let that happen.”

In the run up to the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK had also released political ads in which youngsters can be seen alleging that Edappadi Palaniswami government is giving Tamil Nadu jobs to north Indians.

DMK Health Minister Blames ‘North Indian’ Students For Rising COVID Cases

In 2020, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma. Subramanian blamed ‘north Indians’ for rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state.

“The disease has started increasing in educational institutions like VIT, Anna University and Sathya Sai. The reason for that is, in many states of India, the corona virus cases has not come under control, especially Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala where cases have been rising. When students from north India come into these educational institutions, the disease is spreading through them,” the Health Minister said in a press meet on June 1, 2022 when new COVID-19 clusters were being reported in different colleges in Chennai.

“VIT Kelambakkam is an educational institution with 15,000 students. The number of 1st year students who stay in hostel is around 5600. Out of this 5600, 80% of them come from north India and stay here. They came to their hostel on May 12 and 13 and have been staying here since then. The disease has spread to other students through them and now stands at 118.”, Ma. Subramanian said.

DMK Higher Education Minister Takes Jibe At Hindi Speakers As ‘Pani Poori Sellers’

Speaking at the convocation ceremony of Bharthiar Univeristy in Coimbatore on 13 May 2022, Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy said that it is not necessary to learn Hindi as speakers of that language can be found selling only Pani Pooris.

“In Tamil Nadu, there are two languages – English and Tamil. While English is an international language, Tamil is a local language. We were told that learning Hindi would fetch us jobs, did we get (jobs)? You go and see in our state, in Coimbatore, who sells pani puris? They are Hindi speakers,”, the DMK Minister said.

This is not the first time that Ponmudy took to ridicule Hindi speakers as ‘Pani Poori Sellers’.

“Many say that if you study Hindi, you will get a job. But, many are coming to work in Chennai from northern states. A few are selling pani puri here.”, Minister Ponmudy said while addressing members of the DMK Students Wing on 30 April 2022.

DMK MP Calls North Indian States As ‘Cow Piss States’

DMK MP from Dharmapuri DNV Senthilkumar while speaking about the National Education Policy in Lok Sabha said, “The goal of the government in the National Education Policy is to have a Gross Enrollment ratio (GER) of 50%. This has already been achieved by Tamil Nadu. Whereas, India’s national GER is around 24.6%. We are much ahead of the American GER. Why is it that the Central Government is seeing to thrust the National Education Policy upon us? We have set principles and we have set models, the Dravidian principle models, which are successful models. If they want to implement it to make India a developed state, let them implement Tamil Nadu’s model throughout the state. Instead, why is it being thrust upon us? We totally reject it. If they want, they can go implement them in Gomutra states, which they are very keen upon.”

DMK Minister Insinuates ‘Lack Of Education’ As Reason For BJP’s Victories In The ‘Hindi Belt’

In an interview to Hindustan Times, the then-Tamil Nadu Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan said that he can’t fathom how the BJP keeps getting re-elected in the ‘Hindi Belt’ and wondered if lack of education is the reason for it.

To a question by the anchor on BJP’s model of politics that couples welfare politics with Hindutva, the DMK Minister said “It is hard for me to see how BJP governments keep getting re-elected both at the Union and in other parts in the Hindi belt. And some part of me wonders whether it is lack of education, the lack of kind of opportunity and therefore the lack of hope.”

Later when the anchor tried to  his position, Palanivel Thiagarajan tread cautiously saying that he cannot understand how in the Hindi belt “these guys” keep getting re-elected.

“I’m looking for explanations. I’m trying to find maybe one of the explanation is that the lowest income levels and the worst per capita education levels are highly correlated with this outcome. I don’t have any proof. I don’t have anything. I also said there is a second alternative. That as bad as their performance looks compared to me, it may be that they are the best of bad choices. I don’t know. I just don’t have data.”, the DMK Minister said.

The deep-seated hostility of the DMK towards North Indians and the Hindi language is increasingly influencing society, affecting everyday interactions and disproportionately impacting common people. This rhetoric often fuels tensions, sometimes escalating to the point where poor migrant laborers from the north face unwarranted suspicion and are even assaulted by locals.

Just as South Indians have historically been stereotyped and discriminated against as ‘Madrasis’ in the north, North Indians are now being labeled as ‘Vadakkans’ (northerners) or ‘Pani Puri walas,’ largely due to the narratives pushed by the DMK and its affiliates.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Exit mobile version