The Commune has repeatedly been exposing the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)’s pattern of using children at its events for political gain. This is not very far from the DMK’s habit of doing the same. In this report, we will take a look at how the TVK and the DMK are just mirror images of each other that use similar tactics to gain political mileage.
DMK Using Children For Political Propaganda
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, very well versed with the in and out of politics, has been using minors for its political benefit. Here are a few instances from the recent past to prove this point.
Using Minors For Political Protest
On 15 October 2022, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in Tamil Nadu staged a statewide protest against the Centre’s alleged ‘imposition of Hindi’ and the implementation of a national-level common entrance test.
A joint statement issued by DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin (46) and party student wing secretary CVMP Ezhilarasan (52), said that the party will hold demonstrations in all district headquarters on October 15, around 9 AM. This comes after a parliamentary panel led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah allegedly recommended that Hindi be made the medium of instruction in central educational institutes in Hindi-speaking states. The DMK had organized protests at different cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Vellore, etc. In the protest organized in Chennai headed by Udhayanidhi Stalin, school going children were made to participate in the protest. Pictures circulating in the internet showed school-going children in uniforms attending the protest with placards bearing political and anti-government slogans.
Used Children To Peddle DMK’s Anti-Hindi Propaganda
In February 2025, a video circulated by Dravidianist media featured a child, Dafline Rose, from Kanyakumari, claiming to donate ₹5,000 from her savings to the Chief Minister’s Fund. In the video, she opposed Hindi and called it an “orphan language,” despite reportedly studying in a CBSE school, which allows multiple language choices. Critics pointed out the irony, noting that while CBSE students enjoy linguistic flexibility, the DMK has restricted the trilingual policy for government school students.
This follows an earlier video of another child donor, who was later identified as the child of a DMK functionary. Both videos were presented as spontaneous public support but were soon exposed as orchestrated efforts by party affiliates. Meanwhile, another video that received less media attention showed government school students from Paramakudi pleading with Chief Minister Stalin to allow them to study under the central government’s trilingual scheme. DMK’s narrative seemingly made use of privileged children for propaganda while ignoring genuine requests from underprivileged students seeking better educational opportunities.
TVK Following DMK’s Footsteps
TVK also has followed its so-called political adversary about using children for political gain.
Minor Hails Vijay As Thalapathy At TVK Event
In July 2025, at a TVK event, a minor was seen speaking on the stage, hailing Vijay as Thalapathy. The girl, identified as Nethra, addressed the audience, referring to Vijay as “Thalaivar/Thalapathy” and stating that he gives hope to students and rewards high achievers.
February 2025 – TVK Meeting
The event follows a pattern observed earlier in February 2025 during a TVK meeting held in Mahabalipuram, where several children were seen participating actively. Toddlers and young children were reported running around with party flags and shawls in TVK colours. Vijay was seen lifting a toddler, identified as Ilam Siddharth from Madurai, and engaging with him on stage. Multiple parents present had told reporters they had brought their children due to their admiration for the actor and to show support for the party.
According to reports, the children in attendance were wearing party symbols and, in some cases, reportedly mimicked Vijay’s movie dialogues and gestures. One woman functionary from Dindigul had said she intended to raise her toddler daughter as a party cadre. Another, from Erode, stated she brought her three-year-old daughter to see the actor in person.
Children’s Wing
The incident had also led to speculation about the formation of a children’s wing within the party. When asked, TVK spokesperson Loyola Mani stated that the children’s wing was not intended to include children as members. He said it was created to address child-related issues and to work towards protecting children’s rights. He also clarified that some children may have been present at events due to personal circumstances, adding that even he had brought his daughter on occasion.
Despite these explanations, questions have continued to emerge regarding the visibility of children at political events, the use of minors in stage programs, and the broader implications of such participation. Legal observers and child rights activists have pointed to existing child protection laws in India that discourage the political use of children in rallies, campaigns, or media promotion by parties.
April 2025 – Booth Committee Conference
In April 2025, Vijay faced criticism for allegedly allowing minors to participate in the party’s Booth Committee Zonal Conference in Coimbatore on April 26–27, 2025. This violates Election Commission of India (ECI) rules, which prohibit under-18s from any election-related roles. Reports claim that minors received entry tokens for the booth-level meeting, meant strictly for eligible voters. The ECI maintains a zero-tolerance policy against using children in political activities, though passive presence with guardians is not a violation.
Diamonds & Cash For Achievers – Bribe In Disguise?
Vijay held a high-profile award ceremony in Mahabalipuram on 13 June 2025, where he distributed certificates, cash prizes, and even gold rings to Class 10 and 12 toppers from 16 districts. While presented as a celebration of academic excellence, the event is seen by many as a calculated political move ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. This was the third such ceremony, with past editions featuring extravagant gifts like diamond jewelry. Analysts argue these events blend civic recognition with subtle voter inducement, using photo ops and emotional appeals to build loyalty among families. Though Vijay asked attendees to focus on student success, the recurring nature and media coverage suggest a larger voter outreach campaign. Critics say these events cross the line between encouragement and electoral strategy, turning student accolades into tools for political consolidation.
Election Commission of India and quasi-judicial bodies, including the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), has made it clear that parading children during election or political campaign is a clear violation of children rights.
Children should not be involved in politics until they reach the age of 18. On 5 February 2024, the Election Commission of India issued a press note making it clear that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards the use of children in election-related work or campaign activities. The Commission directed political parties, candidates, and election officials to refrain from involving children in any aspect of political campaigns or rallies.
However, the Commission clarified that the mere presence of a child with a parent or guardian near a political leader, as long as the child is not involved in campaign activities, does not violate these guidelines.
This goes on to prove once again that the DMK and TVK are no different and TVK was formed just to split the anti-DMK votes and to prevent them from going to the ADMK, BJP, NTK and similar parties on the opposite camp.
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