It is common knowledge that DMK and ‘decency’ are poles apart. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has a history, and that history is tainted with numerous instances of the party crossing the limits of decency.
It has once again lived up to that reputation.
Recently, a war of words ensued between BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai and DMK’s mouthpiece ‘Murasoli’.
Murasoli, in its ‘Q&A’ section, had called Mr. Annamalai names and addressed him in singular.
“Did BJP Tamil Nadu President Annamalai study to be IPS?”, read the question.
This is what the answer given in Murasoli loosely translates to: “Do you know who dismissed Namboodripad’s government in Kerala in 1959? Madam Indira Gandhi did.”, says this ‘guy’ in a interview. It is a mystery how he passed IPS. ‘Dolts’ who don’t even know who the Prime Minister was in 1959 claiming to be IPS and IAS, and giving an interview as a head of a party is miserable“.
Responding to this vile attack, Annamalai called DMK’s mouth piece ‘a third rate, toilet paper worthy newspaper’.
A third rate, toilet paper worthy news paper that calls itself a daily newspaper in Tamil is called Murasoli in T N.
This is the official newspaper of @arivalayam party in TN. Pls see my video on why EMS Namboodripad Govt was dismissed in Kerala & the proof of what I spoke! pic.twitter.com/1olfDFw0Bb
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) April 15, 2022
In the tweet, Annamalai also clarified that the Namboodripad government was in fact dismissed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at the insistance of his daughter Indira Gandhi, who was then Congress President.
However, the bile that Murasoli spewed against Annamalai the very next day stands testimony to the gutter level politics of DMK. The party’s organ resorted to personal attacks equating Annamalai with an animal that goes to ‘lick excreta’.
“After exposing his ignorance, Annamalai should not try to escape by burying his face in the toilet.”, it said in another line.
It also justified the crass language stating that ‘some people will understand only if they are given the same way’.
DMK still wants to hide the fact Smt. Indira Gandhi as Cong Party President pressurised to dismiss EMS Namboodripad Govt
After I had called Murasoli newspaper of DMK, a toilet paper, many users of toilet paper have taken offence to it.
I apologise to the users of toilet papers! pic.twitter.com/4QbK3UXklP
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) April 17, 2022
But this is not the first time that Murasoli has made such crass remarks against a leader. The DMK’s mouth piece had made unsavoury remarks against political adversaries even during Karunanidhi’s time.
1. When Murasoli Insulted Kamaraj And Kakkan
In 1970, a cartoon was published in Murasoli which caricatured Congress leaders K. Kamaraj and P. Kakkan in a derogatory manner.
The cartoon showed Kamaraj scantily clad as Goddess Parvati decorating Kakkan portrayed as Lord Ganesha.
This cartoon is not just symbolic violence on the Hindu faith but also amounts to caste violence as both the Congress leaders hail from disadvantaged communities. Kamaraj belonged to the Nadar community and Kakkan was from the Dalit community.
2. When MGR Was Attacked
Murasoli frequently caricatured MGR as an old man and a buffoon demeaning the AIADMK as an “actor party”. In 1978, Karunanidhi had called MGR a Malayali in a bid to portray him as non-Tamil.
However, Karunanidhi went under radio silence after his ancestral roots were traced to Ongole in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh.
Murasoli attacked MGR even years after his death. In October 2021, Murasoli criticized MGR saying that the AIADMK was floated by him in 1972 due to threats from the then Central Government. The DMK’s mouthpiece stated that MGR bowed down to the Central Government’s threats of I-T raids and action by Enforcement Directorate over his foreign trips . Murasoli said that MGR was put under pressure to split the DMK and topple the Karunanidhi government.
3. When EPS, OPS And CVB Were Dehumanized
In October 2017, Murasoli had dehumanized AIADMK leaders Edappadi K. Palaniswami, O. Panneerselvam and C. Vijayabhaskar describing them as ‘traitors’ who have drunk more blood of the people than mosquitoes.
The former Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabhaskar was called as ‘Dengue Bhaskar’.
4. When Murasoli Attacked Jayalalithaa’s Brahmin Lineage
Responding to a Vikatan article that criticized DMK, the party’s mouthpiece took to lashing out Jayalalithaa invoking her Brahmin lineage.
The late AIADMK supremo was called ‘Paapathi‘ (a derogatory way of calling a Brahmin woman) more than 5 times in the article.
Ofcourse, the Brahmin community has always been the go-to punching bag for the DMK.
When Mahatma Gandhi was assasinated by Nathuram Godse, the DMK mouthpiece carried a frontpage headline that read “Utthamar Gaandhiyin Uyirai Kudithavan Oru Oodhaari Paarpaan” which translates to “The person who consumed Mahatma Gandhi’s life was a wastrel/scoundrel Brahmin”.
Given the trackrecord of this publication, BJP President K. Annamalai is not wrong in calling Murasoli what it is – a toilet paper.
Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.