The massive show of Hindu unity at the Muruga Bakthargal Maanaadu in Madurai organized by Hindu Munnani seems to have rattled the DMK and its Dravidianist allies.
The conference, held amid heightened political interest ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, witnessed a historic moment when five lakh devotees sang the Kandha Shashti Kavasam in unison and a staggering one crore people viewed the event online.
In light of this, the Dravidianists have been pushed to the edge with many now claiming that Murugan is not a Hindu god but a Tamil god and that attempt by ‘Sanghis’ to do politics over Murugan will not give political yields.
One such character is DMK stooge and VCK MP Thirumavalavan who runs his party as if it was the Dalit wing of the DMK.
In a recent press meet, Thirumavalavan said “Unlike people of other states, people of Tamil Nadu will not be enticeed by communal politics. Murugan too will not be swayed. Murugan is the God of Tamil Nadu. He’ll chase away the Sanghis and ensure that they’re defeated in 2026 elections. Even if they do these rallies, it will not have any effect in Tamil Nadu”.
The point to be emphasized here is how Thirumavalavan sounds like a believer in Lord Murugan.
However, the same Thirumavalavan had disparaged Lord Murugan and hugged those who abused the Hindu God.
When Thirumavalavan Opposed Murugan Being Declared As Tamil God
Speaking at an event on 7 January 2021, the Chidambaram MP said “Today we are calling Murugan as our God. Mind you, if you step on that slippery rock you will fall into the deep pit of Sanatana Dharma. That is why Dravidar Kazhagam has totally stayed away from it. Tell me, how can you separate Murugan as Tamil God? He may have been Tamil God. There could be a history for that. But how will you separate and liberate that Tamil God from the wretched clutches of the Sanatan forces [Hindus]?”
Adding further, Thirmavalavan said “If Vinayagan is Murugan’s brother, then he must also be a Tamil God right? Why are we not calling him [Lord Vinayagar] as Tamil God? There are some cooked up stories in all this. Both are brothers. They fought for a mango. Both are brothers and are born to 1 father and 1 mother. Even though he [Lord Sivan] has 2-3 wives, two sons have been born. How can it be that one of them is Tamil God and the other is Hindi God? Why is Vinayagan not being called as Tamil God neither by us nor by them?”
The then AIADMK government had declared Thai Poosam as state holiday. Commenting on the move, he said “If you call Murugan as Tamil God and announce holiday for Thai Poosam, will we as Tamils be able to walk with our heads held high? All of this is being done for votes. If we go by this, then we will fall in to their trap.”
Thirumavalavan Supported Karuppar Koottam Who Abused Murugan
Thirumavalavan had expressed his support for Karuppar Koottam after they had published a video in which they made slanderous abusive comments about Lord Murugan and the sacred hymn Kandha Sashti Kavasam.
Dravidianist Duplicity
Thirumavalavan’s shifting stance on Lord Murugan exposes the opportunistic and contradictory nature of Dravidianist politics. While he now invokes Murugan as a Tamil deity to counter what he calls “Sanghi” influence, his earlier speeches reveal deep hostility towards the very idea of associating Murugan with Tamil identity, dismissing it as a trap of Sanatana Dharma. His past defense of those who insulted sacred Hindu traditions further undercuts his current claims. This duplicity highlights a larger anxiety within the Dravidianist camp—faced with a growing assertion of Hindu unity and devotion, they are struggling to recalibrate their rhetoric in a way that preserves their ideological relevance while not alienating the religious sentiments of the Tamil people. The Madurai event was not merely a religious congregation; it was a cultural assertion that has unsettled long-standing narratives, forcing even the loudest detractors to speak in the name of a god they once denounced.
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