While it’s common for netizens to mock late DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi on his birth anniversary, this year, his 7th death anniversary on 7 August 2025, took a different turn. Social media was abuzz with a surge of hashtags highlighting how several late political leaders had once portrayed Karunanidhi of being a “fraud,” “traitor,” and “looter.”
These historical clips, cutting across party lines, included serious allegations ranging from corruption and caste-based favoritism to political opportunism and betrayal of public trust.
DMDK Founder Vijayakanth
Among the videos shared was a fiery interview by late DMDK founder Vijayakanth, in which he openly ridiculed Karunanidhi, calling him a “pawn master” who mortgaged the state and benefited his family through schemes like free TVs while allegedly monopolizing cable connections. “He lies through his teeth,” Vijayakanth charged, calling him a “traitor” and accusing him of exploiting Tamil identity politics for personal gain.
In the video late DMDK leader Vijayakanth said, “Ah Kalaignar has done this, Kalaignar has done that. What Kalaignar? What did he do? I am giving him respect and calling him Kalaignar. What did he do? He pawned the state of Tamil Nadu. Even now, he keeps saying race, race. They have killed the same race in Ceylon, and he is talking about race? A regime where nothing was done, what a shameful regime. People must teach a lesson to these two parties, the DMK and the Congress, this is my wish. I already said he is the pinnacle of lies. If I listen, I get angry. He lies through his teeth. The example of what a big traitor he is, that he gave you free television, but he took all the connection charges. This is the truth. Who has the connections (cable TV)? Tell me. Is it with the common man? It is all there with his party people, with him, with his grandchildren, and his son. This is the truth.”
Former TN CM & AIADMK Leader J Jayalalithaa
Another widely circulated clip featured late AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa making explosive claims about a supposed election-time conspiracy between Karunanidhi and then Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. She alleged that Karunanidhi was willing to betray the Tamil cause in Sri Lanka to ensure electoral victory for his party.
In the video, late former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa alleged, “I am bound to inform you of the information I have received regarding Karunanidhi’s conspiracy with Rajapaksa. I have received information from reliable sources that Karunanidhi has hatched a conspiracy with Rajapaksa to somehow win the election. That is, Karunanidhi has contacted and spoken with Rajapaksa. In this election, the situation is very favorable for Jayalalitha because she has expressed the opinion of a separate Tamil Eelam, hence, she has very bright chances of winning . If a central government that listens to her is formed tomorrow, Jayalalitha will send the army to Sri Lanka. If Jayalalitha says, she will follow through. She is capable of making strong decisions. Then you will have problems. Therefore, to prevent that from happening, please listen to what I am saying. Until 13 May, the day of the election, genuinely observe a ceasefire. Only then can I win. If I win and, by my grace, a central government is formed again, you can easily eliminate the Sri Lankan Tamils as you wish. If you help me, I will be a support for you. Therefore, to prevent problems for you, please wait and don’t wage war until 13 May. As soon as the election here is over, you can do as you wish. Trustworthy information has come that Karunanidhi has spoken to Rajapaksa in this manner. If his position is in jeopardy, Karunanidhi will do anything with audacity. I don’t need to tell you about Karunanidhi’s selfishness. Therefore, I appeal to all of you with folded hands to give a crushing blow to the Tamil traitor Karunanidhi in the coming election, so that he cannot rise again or raise his head again. Will you do it? Will you do it?”
Slain BSP Leader Armstrong
One among was slain BSP leader Armstrong recounted how Karunanidhi, despite initially receiving Dalit support, later neglected leaders like Sathyavani Muthu Ammaiyar, who had once championed his rise to power. Armstrong accused Karunanidhi of sidelining Dalit voices and failing to support them in governance.
He said, “Why did I support Karunanidhi? At that time, all the great leaders were against Karunanidhi, but I supported him. The reason was that the others were from higher castes but Karunanidhi was the only one who was from a backward community, a community that was insulted with caste names. What could be be a community that can be insulted with caste names? They’d say, “Hey, call that barber’s (ambatai) son.” It is okay until we are here. Why did Periyar say that villages should be abolished? When you’re in the city, there are no problems. They’ll say, “Come, comrade. Go, comrade.” But when you go to the village, they’ll say, “Call that ‘washerman’ (Vannan) boy,” “call that ‘barber’ (ambatai) boy,” “call that ‘scavenger’ (Thoti) boy.” That’s why Periyar said that village rajya should be abolished. He said this because caste originates there. Therefore, at that time, that was a community that would insult with such derogatory names. That’s why I supported Karunanidhi. I supported him hoping that my community would get some liberation, that he would protect this community. Even when I went to talk to MGR about this, there was a lot of opposition. MGR himself was saying, “Akka, you tell me. I will go to the press and announce it myself. You tell me, as Chief Minister. She says ‘how will they accept me? How will the other communities accept me? I don’t have the financial support, which is important. He is intelligent. Many other people are there, like Navalar and N.V.N., E.V.K. Sampath but they can’t work like him. So, listen to me, he is an intelligent and thoughtful person, and somehow, Sathyavani Muthu convinced MGR then he accepted him. This is the true history. Only he accepted Karunanidhi could become CM. If he had not agreed, Karunanidhi would not have been able to become Chief Minister. If you think MGR had opposed him, Karunanidhi would not have been Chief Minister. MGR would have captured power on that day itself, just as he did when he came out of the DMK. It was Annai Satyavani Muthu who convinced and pacified such a great MGR. After forming such a government and becoming a minister, from the day I became a minister, there was a struggle against Karunanidhi she says. She records every single thing. There was no financial support. The 42 people who died in Keezhvenmani… from appealing against their deaths, to all of them being released, she say Karunanidhi is the reason for everything. So, look at this woman’s integrity. When people buy this book, there are so many people in the DMK. After seeing the book they said the woman who wrote this book’s daughter is in the DMK. I asked if this book was written for the family or for the society? It was for the society. Not only is she a woman, but all the women who have come here are her daughters. This book was written for the society. Therefore, when you read this book today, they keep telling you one thing after another. If you read this book, none of you will stay in the DMK. Nobody will stay in the DMK.”
MMK Leader Jawahirullah
In another video, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader M.H. Jawahirullah, speaking in the Assembly, accused Karunanidhi of betraying global Tamil interests, citing his role in upholding the death sentences of three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case while sparing only one.
He said, “Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Karunanidhi, used to call himself the leader of all Tamils worldwide. However, during his time in power, he committed various betrayals against the Tamils worldwide. I can provide a long list. One such instance is when our honorable Chief Minister yesterday, under section 110, had the opportunity to review the death sentences of Santhan, Murugan, Perarivalan, and Nalini. When the DMK government had the opportunity to reconsider the death sentences of these four people, they have only canceled Nalini’s death sentence and confirmed the death sentences of the other three. This treachery is the history of Karunanidhi’s betrayal.”
MDMK Leader Vaiko
In another video, Vaiko, leader of MDMK, in older footage, called Karunanidhi a “racial traitor,” declaring he had condemned him on “a thousand stages” since 2009.
He furiously said, “Is he a Tamil Eeelam leader? Betrayer of Tamil race. How will I reach for an agreement? I have been calling him as a ‘racial traitor’ on a thousand platforms since 2009. How will I reach for an agreement?”
Terrorist Palani Baba
In a particularly controversial clip, Palani Baba, a notorious terrorist, accused Karunanidhi of hollow Dravidian posturing, stating that he exploited religious symbols and personalities for political convenience. Calling him “a man with no principles,” he described Karunanidhi as a political opportunist.
Palani Baba said, “Karunanidhi will just wear a skullcap and drink ‘Kanji'(porridge) during this Ramadan. Don’t do that despicable work getting up on the stage saying ‘Oh Tamils’ on us anymore, we have been cheated by these performers enough, that’s enough. He may write dialogues. He’ll write dialogues like ‘My dear brethren, May*ru’, but for his own self-interest, who will form an alliance even with Kushboo, will say support from Kushboo, from Silk Smitha. He’s a traitor, he’s one without stable principles, who is ready to sell anything – that’s Karunanidhi. Look at me, I’m the one who worked for Dravidian sentiments and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam more than anyone, with all my physical and intellectual labor. No one work like me. If this is my fate, then brothers, just imagine. Do not trust and get cheated by that black cobra named Karunanidhi.”
PMK Founder Dr Ramadoss
In another video, PMK chief Dr. Ramadoss referred to Karunanidhi as “The total embodiment of corruption, the fountainhead of corruption is DMK’s Kalaignar”
CPI Leader Mutharasan
In another Video, CPI leader R. Mutharasan recounted how Karunanidhi allegedly attempted to defame his party’s candidate, labeling such moves as typical of the DMK leader’s manipulative political tactics.
R. Mutharasan slammed Karunanidhi saying, “Kalaignar, who is not even capable of meeting Comrade Thapa, the candidate of the Indian Communist Party, politically. He made someone submit a petition to the election officer, alleging that Thapa had committed land fraud. After submitting a petition here, Kanimozhi went around town campaigning that the state secretary of the Indian Communist Party is a fraud, and all that was going on. Later, it was announced that the petition was accepted at 3 o’clock. Kalaignar knows this. He knows that this objection petition will not be accepted but rejected. Defaming others… if things don’t go his way, breaking a party and defaming others is Kalaignar’s usual practice. This is his permanent trait.”
Former Sr Congress Leader EVKS Elangovan
Congress senior leader EVKS Elangovan voiced deep resentment, claiming that Karunanidhi betrayed many of his allies over the years, including N.S. Krishnan, Annadurai, MGR, and even his own father. “You could write an entire book about how many people he has deceived,” he said.
Senior Congress leader EVKS Elangovan said, “If I have to talk about Kalaignar and how ungrateful he is, I can start from the very beginning. How he cheated N.S. Krishnan? How he cheated Anna? How he cheated my father? How he cheated MGR? How he cheated the acting-singing maestro K.R. Ramasamy? How he cheated S.S. Rajendran? I can keep talking like this… one could write a separate book about it.”
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