The Tamil Nadu Nadar Sangam has issued a strong condemnation of DMK Deputy General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva following his controversial remarks about the late former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. Speaking at a DMK party gathering in Perambur, Siva alleged that Kamaraj couldn’t sleep without air conditioning and praised former DMK leader Karunanidhi for ensuring AC was installed wherever Kamaraj stayed, a comment widely seen as a bid to elevate Karunanidhi at Kamaraj’s expense.
Reacting sharply to this, Tamil Nadu Nadar Sangam President Muthu Rameshu Nadar released a video statement, calling the remarks defamatory and deeply disrespectful to the legacy of Perunthalaivar Kamaraj.
In his statement, Rameshu Nadar demanded immediate action from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, saying, “Trichy Siva, a DMK Rajya Sabha member and DMK Deputy General Secretary, has spoken in a manner that taints the fame of Perunthalaivar Kamarajar and has spoken slanderously about him. On behalf of the Tamil Nadu Nadar Sangam and the followers of Perunthalaivar Kamarajar, we express our strong condemnation to him. We urge the Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to immediately remove Trichy Siva from his party position and his Member of Parliament position. Both positions must be removed.” He further added that the remarks warrant criminal action, “Furthermore, as he had spoke slanderously about Perunthalaivar Kamarajar, we demand that he be arrested and imprisoned. We request that you take these actions immediately. Failing that, we wish to state that crores of Perunthalaivar Kamarajar’s followers will launch a massive protest.”
திருச்சி சிவா பேசுனதுக்கு கைது செய்தே ஆகணும்..! எச்சரித்த முத்து ரமேசு நாடார் #kamarajar #trichysiva #காமராஜர் #tnmedia24x7tamil pic.twitter.com/jsWdA3trrf
— TNMedia 24×7 Tamil (@tnmediatamil) July 16, 2025
What Exactly Did Tiruchi Siva Say?
During the party meeting, Tiruchi Siva shared an anecdote allegedly told to him by late DMK leader Karunanidhi. He recounted, “When I was around 23 or 24, Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) would take me in his car and recount some events. Some people would question why he was telling these things to a young kid. But he knew I would speak about them in public meetings and convey them effectively to the people. He would tell me many such stories. One day, he told me this, ‘Kamarajar has organized condemnation meetings all over Tamil Nadu against electricity shortage. Kamarajar would get an allergy if he didn’t have air conditioning. So, he (Karunanidhi) ordered that all the visitors’ bungalows where he stayed be equipped with air conditioning. Even though he (Kamaraj) was speaking against him, considering his health, I made sure all those bungalows had air conditioning.”
Siva then shared another story from the Emergency period, “During the Emergency, they were desperate to arrest him but couldn’t do it in Tamil Nadu. Just then, he was about to leave for an event in Tirupati. A message went from the Chief Minister’s office, saying, ‘Please don’t go to Tirupati.’ He retorted, ‘I’m not a DMK member; I’m a Congress member, Who is he to tell me that tell me I can’t go?’ Then, he told, ‘I’m not a DMK leader, I’m the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. My order is that you shouldn’t go there.’ Immediately, he shot back, ‘What? You’re ordering me? I’m the one who gave up that chair! Is this guy so big that he can order me around? I’m going!’ So, thalaivar called Rajaram Naidu and said, ‘Please make him understand. I’m not a big shot who can order him around. There’s nothing above him. The Central Government is desperate to arrest him. As long as he’s within Tamil Nadu’s borders, I will protect him. If he crosses this border and goes to Tirupati, which is in Andhra, I won’t be able to save him if they arrest him. That’s why I asked him not to go.’ It was only then that he (Kamaraj) said, ‘I spoke without understanding him. He has such a big heart. ‘ Finally, holding his hand, before his death, he said, ‘You are the one who must save this country and democracy.’”
சாகும் தறுவாயில் கருணாநிதி கையை பிடித்தாரா காமராஜர்..? திருச்சி சிவா சொல்கிறார்..! #Kamarajar | #Kalaignar | #TrichySiva | #PolimerNews https://t.co/iESGBYEGzM
— Polimer News (@polimernews) July 16, 2025
These remarks, especially the insinuation about Kamaraj’s reliance on air conditioning, have not sat well with the public or political observers. Many see it as an attempt to undermine Kamaraj’s image as a selfless and simple leader a portrayal that has stood the test of time across party lines.
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