Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday 21 September 2025, assured the Muslim community that his party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), would always stand by them, while hailing Prophet Muhammad as a universal thinker who preached love, peace, and equality.
Speaking at the 1500th birth anniversary celebrations of the Prophet in Chennai, Stalin said, “Religion should not be seen as an institution, but as a path of love.”
The Chief Minister praised Prophet Muhammad for rejecting oppressive traditions, emphasising compassion for the poor, and urging the wealthy to share with the needy. “It was because of his message of equality and compassion that Periyar, Anna, and Kalaignar hailed the Prophet,” he said, quoting former DMK leader M. Karunanidhi: “Prophet Mohammed preached love, peace, and virtue, and regarded service to others as the highest form of righteousness.”
Stalin recalled that former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi first met at a Milad-un-Nabi event in Tiruvarur, and that their friendship became the foundation for Tamil Nadu’s growth.
நபிகள் நாயகத்தின் 1500-ஆவது பிறந்தநாள் விழாவில் பங்கேற்று, உலகெங்கும் அன்பு பரவிட வேண்டும் – அமைதி நிறைந்திட வேண்டும் என்ற உணர்வை வெளிப்படுத்தினேன்.
சிறுபான்மை மக்களுக்கு இடர் வரும்போதெல்லாம், பாதுகாப்பு அரணாக என்றும் திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம் துணை நிற்கும்! pic.twitter.com/xJgkHJkQsC
— M.K.Stalin – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) September 21, 2025
No To Bhagavad Gita, Yes To Prophet’s Teachings In Curriculum
Responding to Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) leader Nellai Mubarak’s demand to include Prophet Muhammad’s teachings in the school syllabus, Stalin clarified that content was already part of the curriculum. “SDPI leader Nellai Mubarak requested to include the Prophet Muhamed in the syllabus. I’m happy to say that it has already been included in the Tamil Nadu Education Syllabus,” he said.
He linked the ‘egalitarian’ and ‘loving’ principles preached by Prophet Muhammad with the ideologies of E.V. Ramasamy (hailed as ‘Periyar’ by his followers), C.N. Annadurai, and Karunanidhi.
Back in 2019, when decision was taken to include philosophy and Bhagavad Gita in its syllabus for Anna University engineering students, the MK Stalin had opposed the move and the DMK even conducted protests.
“We will continue to protest until the university removes Bhagavad Gita from the syllabus. It is not a need for an engineering student,” Ezhilarasan who is now DMK MLA said.
Support For Muslim Community
Stalin underlined DMK’s record of supporting Muslim rights. “If Muslims face trouble, the first political outfit that comes to your support is the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam,” he declared.
He highlighted measures taken by DMK governments over the years, including 3.5 % internal reservation for Muslims under the Backward Class category, recognition of Urdu-speaking Muslims in the BC list, creation of a Minority Welfare Board, establishment of the Tamil Nadu Urdu Academy, and construction of a Haj House near Chennai airport. He also recalled that Karunanidhi had declared Milad-un-Nabi as a public holiday in 1969, reinstated it in 2006 after the AIADMK had withdrawn it in 2001.
Taking aim at political rivals, Stalin said DMK genuinely fought against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) while the AIADMK “questioned the protests and oversaw police action against Muslims.” Without naming AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Stalin said, “You know pretty well who asked if anyone was affected by that (CAA) and you under whose regime the Muslims were baton-charged for protesting against the CAA.”
He accused the AIADMK of double standards on triple talaq and the Waqf Act amendments, and highlighted defections of leaders such as Anwar Raja from the AIADMK to the DMK in protest.
Expressing concern over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Stalin urged the Central Government to act. “There must be an immediate end to the atrocities faced by the Palestinians, and the Central government should take resolute steps in this connection,” he said.
Reiterating his appeal, he added, “A good solution should be brought in soon. The suffering faced by Palestinians should be brought an end at once. I already said that Indian Government should take firm decision in this course and I want to emphasize on it once again.”
The event saw participation from leaders of multiple Muslim organisations, including IUML’s K.M. Kader Mohideen, MMK chief Prof. Jawahirullah, MJK’s Thamimun Ansari, and SDPI’s Nellai Mubarak. Stalin called for unity and urged Muslims to reject parties aligned with what he described as the BJP’s “cheap, despotic, autocratic politics.”
(With inputs from India Today)
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