Stalin’s new gem: ‘Indian Freedom Struggle was started in 1975 by Puli Thevar’

Adding to his bloopers series, DMK chief MK Stalin has come out with another new gem that is now going viral on social media.

Addressing the DMK cadres of Tenkasi and Tirunelveli as part of the “Tamizhagam Meetpom” virtual campaign, the DMK chief was talking about the region being home to freedom fighters like Puli Thevar.

He said “When India was enslaved… the warrior who stood against the British forces – Kaathappa Puli Thevan was born in this land. Not 1 or 2 years, for 17 years the warrior palayakaarar (poligar) who fought the British… was Puli Thevan. Historians say that the first phase of Indian Freedom Struggle was started in 1975 by Puli Thevan”.

Puli Thevar was a polygar who ruled Nerkattumseval situated near Sankaran Kovil in today’s Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu. Born in 1715 in the Maravar community, he waged 17 wars against the British in the 12 year period from 1755 to 1767 out of which he made the British run helter-skelter in 15.

This latest speech of Stalin has now become a fodder for netizens triggering a series jokes and memes on the DMK chief who is known for his faux pas.