The DMK staged condemnation protests across Tamil Nadu against Chief Minister and Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay, accusing him of making disparaging remarks against former Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin over his emergency arrest in the Legislative Assembly, as reported in Tamil Samayam.
In Chennai, former ministers P.K. Sekarbabu and M. Subramanian led separate demonstrations. Sekarbabu headed the protest outside the Chennai Collectorate on Rajaji Salai, while Subramanian led party workers near the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Golden Jubilee Arch in Saidapet. Senior DMK leader A. Raja, Greater Chennai Corporation Mayor R. Priya and several former MLAs also took part in the protests.
Speaking at the protest, DMK MP A. Raja criticised Vijay’s conduct in the Assembly and questioned his responses to the Opposition.
‘Not a Great Actor… A Great Scoundrel’
A. Raja said, “I am disappointed with Chittarasu. He calls Vijay a ‘great actor.’ He is not a great actor. How can someone who used to make ‘egg parottas’ on the Doddabetta road be a great actor? He is not a great actor; he is a great scoundrel.”
Raja further said that it was unacceptable for a Chief Minister to use what he described as vile language and make baseless claims inside the Legislative Assembly.
He also questioned what he described as a difference in the way crimes were viewed under the DMK government and the present TVK government.
“If crimes occurred during our rule, it was a law-and-order issue. If a crime occurs during your rule, is it merely a matter of individual morality?” he asked.
Raja also alleged that Vijay was avoiding direct answers to questions raised by the DMK and instead speaking about unrelated issues in the Assembly.
“Instead of answering the question asked, he is speaking about all sorts of irrelevant things in the Assembly,” criticised A. Raja.
He further said that, since the days of former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, no one had been able to properly answer questions raised by the DMK.
Raja Questions Remarks on Stalin
Raja also referred to the political and personal remarks made during the Assembly exchanges and questioned the basis on which ministers had joined the government.
He said, “I joined the DK and DMK during my college days only after reading the writings of Annan and Kalaigna*. What exactly did these ministers see that made them join? Did they join because of the Chief Minister, or because of the women he is associated with? It is disheartening that one cannot tell the difference; it is truly saddening. Look, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are in the House. BJP leaders are seated here. Rajnath Singh who suffered injuries is seated here. Don’t they know about the Emergency? Don’t they know about MISA? Now, someone questions, “He didn’t go for this reason or that reason; I have doubts about who he was born to…” can I ask that? When you’re doubting the integrity of my leader who is having lot of records…”
Sekar Babu Calls Vijay A Fugitive ‘Odukaali’
Speaking at the protest, former DMK minister Sekar Babu said, “It is no exaggeration to call our Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu a great warrior who fought against the Union Government for five years—a fact acknowledged even by friends from our allied parties. Back then, he made the Governor run. Today, the Chief Minister—who used to mockingly shout “Run, run!” from the stage, the fugitive, eloper Vijay —was himself made to run by our leader’s beloved son, our dear brother and the future of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi. As he fled, he declared, “I will return on Monday to give my reply; ensure no one else runs away.” Regarding the lines—”A land that does not praise one who turns their back in retreat; a land where a mother joyfully sends her son to the battlefield”—these words, which seem written specifically for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, hold true here: no one turned their back and fled. He delivered a speech full of cinematic-style dialogue for an hour, yet throughout that time, we sought the opportunity to stand and counter-argue. One can only ladle out what is in the pot; the Chief Minister—lacking the mettle, capability, and courage to answer the questions posed by our brother, the great Udhayanidhi—finished his speech without giving the Leader of the Opposition a chance to speak.
Had the opportunity been granted, the truth would have been revealed. During an assembly session, that ‘shorts-wearing party’ member Nirmal Kumar—referring to the ‘Karur Company’—spoke up. Our leader immediately rose to retort, “Oh, sanghi, he said, then he said, no it is Nirmal. Nirmal then remarked that the leader had spent two and a half hours in the restroom. To this, the leader asked, “Is there a specific minister appointed solely to keep track of who spends how much time in the restroom?” It was precisely because they lacked the mettle to answer the pointed questions raised in the Assembly that our Leader of the Opposition was denied the use of the microphone back then. You call us a “running crowd”—but who is the real “running crowd”? Who was the leader who actually ran all the way to Kodanadu for the sake of a movie titled Thalaiva? When the oppressive Emergency (MISA) was declared, the wave of arrests began.
The police arrived at our leader’s house. When they asked, “Where is your son?”, he replied, “He has gone out of town; he will return tomorrow. I will hand him over to you as soon as he arrives.” The next morning, he greeted the police with a smile and went to prison—that is the leader of our “lion-like” cadre. He is not a leader who—like you—fled to the airport from Karur shouting “Run, run, run” after 41 lives were lost; he is a humane leader who emerged only after eight days via a Facebook post. He spoke with magnanimity in the Assembly, stating that no leader of any movement would ever wish for the death of their own cadre. Yet, what did you say? You claimed they were merely putting on an act. Let me ask you—Nirmal of the “Knicker Party”—you claim to be brave, bold, and a representative of the RSS, don’t you? Did you face the situation courageously? How can a coward who ran, hid, and sought anticipatory bail dare to call us people who were afraid of MISA? I declare this from this very stage: Many of our MISA veterans are here today. Come, let us set up a public stage right here. Are you prepared to debate the issue of MISA with one of our veterans? You spineless, incompetent, gutless, cowardly cur—just because the Assembly offers you protection, do not say whatever you please. Today, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) stands in the arena like a wounded tiger. Rest assured, one day we will settle the score—with interest—and deliver the reckoning to these cowardly curs. We will chase these renegade dogs right out of this country.”
Vasantham Karthikeyan Targets Vijay Over ‘Twisted Face’ Remark
Another DMK leader, Vasantham Karthikeyan, who participated in the protest, also launched a personal attack on Vijay while referring to remarks concerning Stalin’s appearance following his alleged treatment in prison.
He said, “His face became twisted. Yes, it did become twisted. It is true that my leader who fought for the country, the people, and the Indian nation was beaten and trampled upon in prison, and that his mouth became twisted as a result. But look at you, your mouth is twisted too. I cannot say how yours became that way; I leave that to your own conjecture. That is what happens when you give it a workout every day yes, that is exactly what happens. So, the twist you have is different from the twist we have. Mr. Vijay, our leader is ready to respond to what you said. Just give him five minutes. We are asking for five minutes. But you switch off the microphone. We are ready to answer the questions you raised. I have just one request for the police: whenever you make an arrest, send Annan Udhayasooriyan and me together. He must not be left alone.”
Udhayasooriyan Makes Indirect Reference to Vijay’s London Trip
DMK leader Udhayasooriyan also took aim at Vijay and made an indirect reference to the Chief Minister’s recent London visit.
He said, “I want to say this loud and clear for five minutes. I want Vijay, who has gone to London, to hear it. He has gone with Someone, yes, he has gone with someone. So, just say it loud and clear: two people went along. You all don’t need to name names.”
Markandeyan Attacks Vijay Over Independence Day Seating
Another DMK leader, Markandeyan, criticised Vijay over remarks concerning the DMK and women and also referred to the seating arrangements during an Independence Day flag-hoisting event.
He said, “None of those fools have the standing or qualification to debate the Leader regarding the MISA. This ‘impatient fellow’ has no urgent need to attract investments right now. He uttered just one thing: claiming DMK members speak disparagingly about women. If things were like that, I wouldn’t tolerate it. On Independence Day, the flag was hoisted; the MLA and MP were standing below. Yet, an actress and her mother were placed in the spot reserved for the Chief Minister’s wife – in the family’s designated area. Placing an actress there is a disgrace to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. I ask you: when I said I would break bones, I was thrown in jail; yet you point fingers, claiming I threatened to break my own leader’s bones? Is there no one here to file a complaint? You, too, will go to jail one day. We will ensure that happens.”
Nivetha Murugan Calls TVK Leaders ‘Three Lunatics’
DMK leader Nivetha Murugan also attacked senior TVK functionaries while criticising their responses to the DMK.
She said, “It must be a huge struggle dealing with those three lunatics. They are utter ignoramuses; even if you shout at them, they won’t listen. Even if you hit them, they just walk away without paying heed, do you know that? Nirmal Kumar, even if you shout at him, he will keep talking like a sanghi. That’s the kind of characters we are dealing with. Like this, we are dealing with three lunatics. Whenever something comes up, those three – Aadhav Arjuna, Rajkumar, and Nirmal Kumar immediately jump in. They are eager to score points. I suspect someone coached him, perhaps telling him that speaking well during the interview would earn him marks and sent him out there.”
Geetha Jeevan Accuses Vijay of Arrogance
Former DMK minister Geetha Jeevan also condemned Vijay’s remarks, accusing the Chief Minister of displaying arrogance.
She said, “We strongly condemn those remarks; we condemn them in the severest terms. You must stop this kind of talk immediately. Otherwise, let me tell you, you will soon realize just how humiliatingly a DMK member can speak to you. Only one thing is evident in his speech: arrogance. If you look closely at what he said, his true nature, rooted in arrogance, has been revealed today.”
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