Chennai: It looks like gone are the days when DMK leaders wasted no opportunity to take a dig on Hinduism in the name of rationalism and atheism. Lately, the party is trying to repaint its image and the latest example is its stand on the Karuppar Koottam issue.
Soon after the YouTube channel released a video denigrating Lord Muruga’s Kandha Sashti Kavasam and its team was linked to the DMK, two senior leaders- K N Nehru and R S Bharathi- distanced the party from the channel and said the DMK was never against Hindus. They also condemned the channel for the insulting the sentiments of Hindus.
These developments have given raise to speculations that the DMK was trying to move away from core principles. Karthik, a member of the party’s US forum, says, “it was during the DMK’s regimes many temples were consecrated and temple cars were renovated. The DMK will continue to protect the interest of all sections of people.”
However, Muthu, a functionary of the BJP, says, “people had not forgotten what Karunanidhi, Stalin and others spoke about Hindusim in the past. The party now fears that it would lose Hindu votes in the upcoming Assembly elections. As a result, it is projecting itself as a friend to Hindus, which is never a reality.”
Strongly condemning the act of denigrating Lord Muruga and distancingĀ itself from the Tamil YouTube channel which had posted the controversial video, the DMK launched a veiled attack on the BJP, saying there was no room
for saffron in Tamilnadu.
After being criticised by some parties for its silence on the Lord Muruga row, the DMK coming out in support of the Hindu deity was seen as a shift in its stand asĀ DMK was known for its anti-Hindu comments and atheistic views.
Talking to reporters, senior DMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP R S Bharathi said denigrating Lord Muruga was strongly condemnable. He said since the Assembly polls were nearing in the State, ‘a group of jackals’ was trying to enter the State and there was no room for saffron in the State.
Recalling that Tamilnadu was the only State in the country which had defeated the saffron forces in the 2019 Parliamentary polls, Bharathi said now aĀ group of jackals was trying to enter the State by creating confusion among the Hindus about the DMK.
Asserting that DMK had no links with the YouTube channel Karuppar Koottam as being projected in some quarters, he termed it as a false campaign. On Twitter post in the name of DMK president M K Stalin allegedly supporting Karuppar Koottam, he said it was a fake account created on his party leader’s name.
He said the DMK would file a complaint with the Chennai Police Commissioner on Monday demanding action against those who misused his party’s leader’s name and put out the Twitter post.