"We are opposed to Aryan hegemony, not to spirituality," says TN CM MK Stalin

Countering the Sangh Parivar's persistent criticism that the DMK is anti-Hindu, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday made it clear that the Dravidian party remains steadfast in its opposition to Aryan hegemony and not to spirituality. He also defended his wife, Durga, visiting temples frequently, saying the people of Tamil Nadu are wise enough rationalists to differentiate faith and politics, writes MC Rajan

Chennai:Painting the ruling DMK as anti-Hindu will not cut ice with the people of Tamil Nadu and the Sangh Parivar's balloon of inflated lies could be easily pricked with the needle of truth, Chief Minister MK Stalin said urging the party's social media team to expose their disinformation campaign with facts.

Addressing the Social Media Volunteers of the DMK IT Wing in the city, Stalin, also president of the DMK, said, “Hitler had one Goebbels. But, the BJP is a multitude of all Goebbels put together. They indulge in slander campaigns against anyone at their whims, reeling out lies sans any evidence with no iota of compunction. All that they know is WhatsApp University and spread canards since there is a herd willing to swallow them. With all their might, they inflate those falsehoods.”

But, they get irritated when their balloon of lies are easily pricked by the needle of truth, he quipped adding, “We are now confronting BJP and the AIADMK, both enemies of the people. Our battle is against fascism. We are facing a mob that is bent upon wrecking the nation by dividing the people on communal and casteist lines. The fascism of the BJP is not only a threat to the DMK or Tamil Nadu, but to India as a whole and the world. Not only their political rivals, but everyone from media persons to progressives and human rights activists are facing threats and intimidation. However, we cannot be cowed down, for we have seen all of them TADA, and POTA. Hence, the slander to discredit us.”

Taunted often for his wife Durga's frequent temple visits, though the DMK is wedded to rationalism, he said, “Their primary job now is to monitor which temple Durga Stalin is visiting. Then, posting that photograph, they carry out a campaign saying 'See she is offering worship at temples'. Durga is visiting every temple in the state. It is her desire and I am not preventing it. We are only opposed to Aryan hegemony and not to spirituality.”

He explained, “Temple and faith are the rights of an individual. It is the Dravidian movement, which secured the masses the right to enter temples by launching so many temple entry struggles.” To the critics, his answer is “Not that temple shouldn't be there, but that it should not be a den of criminals,” the famed dialogue in the iconic movie 'Parasakthi', penned by his father and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi.

He charged the BJP with mixing temple and politics for its narrow political end and pointed out that was the reason behind the circulation of a plethora of fake WhatsApp messages about temples being razed down here and there. “The truth is, this Dravidian Model Government had performed consecration for 1,000 temples and recovered temple properties worth Rs Rs 5,000 crore. The HR & CE Department has brought out a booklet on which these have been recovered and this is unpalatable for them,” he said. “No thief would like the lights to be on. No wonder, the cabal benefiting through fanning communal hatred would not like the proper maintenance of temples,” he added.

Even in their dreams, the DMK could not be wiped out, he asserted and said, “Those who were determined to root out the party have at last taken refuge in it. Rajaji (C Rajagopalachari) and Ma Po Si (MP Sivagnanam, Tamil nationalist), who were at the forefront of opposing the DMK, joined hands and contested the 1967 Assembly elections.” Stalin also urged the volunteers to take the message of his podcast, 'Speaking for India', to the brethren across the country so that it reaches a wider audience and also gives a fitting response to false propaganda thereby ensuring that the party and its allies win all the 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.