During the internal Emergency promulgated by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975, the DMK government headed by M Karunanidhi initially preferred to cling on to office than confront the Central government, according to a declassified Kissinger era US cable released by Wikileaks.
In a cable titled ‘Views of DMK Leader on Current Situation’ sent by a US Diplomat in India on July 7, 1975 (12 days after the Emergency was imposed), Karunanidhi’s nephew and party ideologue Murasoli Maran (since deceased), is quoted as saying that the DMK felt the situation was highly fluid.
“He (Maran) believes the Emergency will be prolonged,” the cable said.Therefore, the DMK took the precaution caution of separating the acts of its Ministry from the acts of partymen as individuals.