News Tamil Nadu

Peeling The Onion Layer By Layer, Annamalai Takes DMK Propaganda ‘Journos’ Head On

January 25, 2024
The Commune

The TN BJP Chief K Annamalai continued his firebrand attack on biased journalists. He has previously mentioned what he means by the Dravidian model of layers, comparing it to the layers of an onion.

According to him, ‘The first layer is the ‘academic/intellectual’ layer, which could comprise a few journalists, ‘American-educated’ philosophers and so on. They keep talking about Dravidian philosophy, Dravidian Model in all stages. There must be around 200–250 people like that. Once you peel this outer layer and go inside, then comes the ‘attack layer’. This is an interesting layer. If anyone wants to have a civilized debate, the immediate response of them is to spew abuses based on one’s caste and religion, thinking that the other side will refrain from questioning. The next layer consists of regional satraps. Right from 1967, every region like Trichy, Coimbatore and Vizhuppuram have been leased out. The first two layers duty is to protect these regional satraps. So far, they’ve been able to protect these regional satraps. But with the advent of social media and an alternative ecosystem, these two layers have been peeled away. The fourth layer consists of the DMK family. Protecting the family becomes the prime duty of the third layer, the regional satraps. Be it their business concerns, their dealings, their international level money laundering, all these come in this layer. And once you peel that too, there will be ‘Gopalapuram.’ he said in the Dravida Maya book release function.

Since then, Annamalai and alleged journalists have been on warring sides, with the journalists posing loaded questions and Annamalai’s retort to those questions being amplified by agenda-driven media houses. The latest conflict between the Annamalai and journalists came when he commented on journalist Karthigaichelvan’s interview with TN Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. He commented the interview was ‘toothless’ in a more colloquial term in Tamil, which the journalists took offence. They demanded an apology from Annamalai for allegedly using ‘derogatory’ terms against journalists. Annamalai refused to apologise, and a group of journalists announced a demonstration/protest against him on 25 January 2024 in Chennai.

On the same day, Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Annamalai had posted a video on his X handle, elaborating the biases and hypocrisies of the so-called ‘journalists’.

In his post, Annamalai wrote, “The first layer of the DMK onion, as we popularly know it, is activated & I understand that they are assembling today to protest against me. Today’s protest is the 3rd such protest carried out by this group against me in the last year & I consider it a badge of honour. Here are a few samples where the 1st layer forgets that they are a journalist & behaves more like a DMK spokesperson. A few DMK underlings in the garb of journalists cannot decide & dictate the narratives in TN anymore. I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Journalists who put their lives at risk to report the uncomfortable truth & at the same time, I despise those who act as propaganda machinery to please the ruling DMK Govt. They are a shame to their profession!”

The video lists clippings where senior journalist from The Hindu, N. Ram accusing the BJP government of a scam in the Rafale deals, made fun of Sengol being placed in the Parliament. The next in line was Sun News Editor Gunasekaran spreading fake news that former TN CM Karunanidhi never sued anyone for defamation – a video on the side also debunked the lies he spread – Karunanidhi sued Vaiko for defamation in 2006. The third clipping in the video was about Sathiyam TV journalist Aravindakshan praising Udhayanidhi and abusing  Ilaiyaraaja for praising Modi for carrying out the Pran Prathishta of Ayodhya Ram Mandir. The fourth one was about, senior journalist AS Pannerselvan praising Stalin and wished that he become the Prime Minister of India. The next in line was Thirugnanam, editor of Punnagai media praising Udhayanidhi as a seasoned politician and asking the public not to celebrate Jallikkattu; he also called it a gory sport. Following this was a clipping on journalist Kavitha Muralidharan who said it was not fair to accuse the DMK alone for dynastic politics, she is seen justifying it as well. The final one was about Nakkheeran Gopal praising CM Stalin for his “cycling skills”.

As the TN BJP Chief is unwavering from his stand against biased journalists, it remains to be seen whether the journalists will continue their aggression towards the BJP or turn to more neutral reporting.

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