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Never Forget, Never Forgive: This Thai Poosam, remember what the Karuppar Koottam did to Lord Murugan

Vallavaraayan

Ever since Karuppar Kootam, a YouTube channel run by ‘Periyarists’ with links to the DMK set off a storm by abusing Kandha Sashti Kavasam, a hymn dedicated to the Hindu God Murugan, the DMK has been feeling the heat for its anti-Hindu politics that it had been doing since its inception.

While the party and its leaders had tried to distance themselves from the rabid YouTube channel, evidences clearly show that senior leaders belonging to the DMK were in bed with the nefarious elements all along. Even if they deny their links now, it must be noted that both the DMK and the Karuppar Koottam subscribe to the same school of thought, the one that idolizes the anti-Hindu bigot E.V. Ramasamy Naicker (known as ‘Periyar’ by his followers).

For the uninitiated, here is some context. Karuppar Koottam was a YouTube channel run by a group of ‘Periyarists’, Communist ideologues and DMK sympathizers. They had indulged in targeted attacks against Hindus posting videos abusing Hindu Gods, Hindus and Brahmins for a long time under the garb of ‘rationalism’.

The Karuppar Koottam Shenanigans

In the series titled “Aabasa Puranam” (Porn Puranam), members of the Karuppar Kootam had used vulgar language against Hindu Gods like Murugan, Saraswathi, Brahma, etc.

In one of the videos, they abused Lord Murugan revered in Tamil Nadu as the Tamil God, by making derogatory references to Kandhasashti Kavasam, a hymn dedicated to Lord Muruga that echoes in every Hindu’s home and temples in Tamil Nadu.

In another video titled “Saraswathi Puranam” , Surendar Natarajan, a member of the Karuppar Kootam had said “You say Saraswathi sits in the tongue of Brahma.. If we ask, where will Saraswathi go when she needs to pee or has a bad stomach.. they don’t have an answer. You told she is in the tongue, shouldn’t you also say you also have built a toilet in Brahma’s mouth?”

In another video, Surendar Natarajan while talking about Ramayana made vile references to Tamil Sage Poet Kambar, Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and Lord Hanuman.

Sirpi Rajan, another member of the Karuppar Kootam gang in a video showing magic tricks, had used Hindu children and mocked at their beliefs. Sirpi Rajan had even cut the religious thread tied in the hand of a boy saying that if the God’s thread is more powerful, the scissors will break.

These videos are now unavailable as the channel itself has been taken down.

On July 15, one Senthilvasan Muthusamy was arrested by the Central Crime Branch after cases were registered from different quarters for their vile and abusive video on Hindu God Murugan.

Surendar Natarajan of Karuppar Koottam had surrendered at the Ariyankuppam police station in Puducherry on July 16 and was charged under the Goondas Act.

The Karuppar Koottam Behind The Karuppar Koottam

It is alleged that the channel enjoyed the patronage of Haseef Mohamed, Senior Correspondent of News18 Tamil Nadu and other journalists associated with Centre of Media Persons for Change (CMPC), an extension of communists and DK groups.

Members belonging to DK, DMK, VCK and the Communist parties were frequent guests hosted by the channel. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol. Thirumavalavan, DK ideologue Suba Veerapandian were just some of the people who had expressed their support for Karuppar Koottam after Maridhas, a YouTuber, took them head on in the video about News 18 Tamil Nadu and their alleged links with Karuppar Koottam.

Sundaravalli, a member and spokesperson of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Surendar Natarajan in one of the videos had discussed about Hindu Puranas spewing venoms against Hindu Gods. Sundaravalli claiming to have read the Saiva Thirumurais (hymns dedicated to Lord Shiva) had said in the video that the Thirumurais have porn in them. “Asinga asingama irukum, kevalam kevalama irukun!” (They are so gross and disgusting), Sundaravalli had said. She would go on to state that Puranas are the epitome of porn. She had also stated in the video that their primary mission is to break Hindus by attacking the Hindu scriptures.

DMK, The Real Karuppar Koottam 

When the controversy took the state by storm, the DMK sensing the public ire stated that they had nothing to do with Karuppar Koottam. Tiruchirapalli West DMK MLA K.N. Nehru had in a statement denied any connection between the party and Karuppar Koottam and blamed certain ‘politically ignorant’ people for carrying out a false propaganda. On July 18, during a press meet, DMK Rajya Sabha MP RS Bharathi said that the DMK was no way linked to the rabid Youtube channel. He added that a false campaign was being done and also condemned denigration of Lord Murugan. He went on to recall Anna’s slogan of “Ondre Kulam Oruvane Devan” (One Community, One God).

However, pictures which emerged during the controversy clearly establishes the close relationship shared by Karuppar Koottam and the DMK. In fact, it had led to questions if whether the DMK IT wing was behind the channel itself.

Palanivel Thiagarajan DMK MLA from Madurai Central constituency and the head of DMK’s IT wing can be seen having a luncheon with some of the members of the Karuppar Koottam. This picture was uploaded in social media on 29th April 2019, ten days after the 2019 Lok Sabha General Elections in Tamil Nadu by none other than arrested member of the Karuppar Koottam gang Senthilvasan Muthusamy.

DMK MLA Palanivel Thiaga Rajan with some members of the Karuppar Koottam
Sitting 2nd from left – Senthilvasan Muthusamy. At the back, DMK MLA Palanivel Thiagarajan can be seen.

In another picture, Surendar Natarajan, the host of the show ‘Aabasa Puranam’ can be seen on top a campaign vehicle holding a mic and canvassing votes for the DMK.

In fact, a lawyer named Raj Thilak, affiliated to the DMK is the counsel representing the Karuppar Koottam. The counsel had submitted the bail petition for Senthilvasan Muthusamy before the Metropolitan Magistrate in Egmore, Chennai.

Raj Thilak is the son of Raja Elango who was the Public Prosecutor during the DMK regime. He is also working as a junior to DMK Rajya Sabha MP and advocate NR Elango.

The fact still remains that the DMK chief MK Stalin has not spoken a word about Karuppar Koottam or condemned them for their derogatory videos against Hindu Gods and Hindus.

The Aftermath

After the Karuppar Koottam episode, Lord Murugan took centre stage in Tamil Nadu politics. The issue had led to a churn in the state with the BJP Tamil Nadu unit launching a state-wide Vel Yathrai in which BJP leaders headed by state unit President Dr. L. Murugan travelled to the six abodes of Lord Murugan. During that time, Dr. L. Murugan had urged the Tamil Nadu government to declare Thai Poosam as a state holiday which the Tamil Nadu government under CM Edappadi K Palaniswami did on January 5, 2021.

With the situation arising where the DMK cadres were not even able to convince their own relatives to vote for the DMK, many believers in the party deserted and joined the BJP. 150 members from 70 families of Arachalur village in Erode district who had traditionally voted for the DMK, including the local DMK leader Devaraj joined the BJP disappointed with the DMK leadership and its attitude towards the Hindus.

Since then, the DMK has been sweating over the rising Hindu consolidation in Tamil Nadu with many of its leaders trying to placate the Hindu voters.

Kanimozhi, the Thoothukudi MP and daughter of late DMK patriarch Karunanidhi, who had earlier said why there was a need for security in Thirupathi if Lord Balaji was all powerful, is now sporting vibudhi (sacred ash) and kumkum (vermilion) on her forehead.

She had recently said that DMK was the only party and M.K. Stalin was the only leader to give voice to the majority Hindus.

The DMK chief himself had upped the ante in order to shed his anti-Hindu image. At a DMK Gram Sabha meeting held in Ammaiyar Kuppam near Tiruttani, the DMK chief was presented with a silver Vel (spear weapon of Lord Murugan) by the party cadres. Reportedly, poojas were done to this silver Vel at the Tiruttani Murugan temple before presenting it to M.K. Stalin.

The party’s mouthpiece Murasoli on January 27, had even carried a front page headlined “Vetrivel! Veeravel!” with the above picture of Stalin elaborating how the DMK has never been an enemy for believers.

The DMK for long is a party known for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus. With their links to Karuppar Koottam getting exposed, the DMK is now trying to cater to the Hindu vote bank by treading soft and appeasing them just before elections in the hope of attracting some Hindu votes. Amidst an already existing anti-DMK wave, the party is leaving no stone unturned to calm the waters so that they don’t get destroyed by an anti-DMK tsunami towards the elections.

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